Love Won't Save You
by Corabel
Summary: The good part of him that loved her and strove to be everything that his own Father wasn't told him that the vision might be nothing and would not come to pass. But the part of him that housed his longing obsession and possessiveness of her told him to give into the darkness that was lurking inside of him in order to save her life. Slow romance/Darkfic/Character Deaths/Smut.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, this is a story I've had playing around in my head for a while now, I got inspiration from Star Wars and so you will probably recognise similarities in the plot, just a heads up. I've rated it an M for now to play it safe because I'm not sure if I shall be including lemons later on. I probably will, lemons are great after all, aren't they? Updates will probably be irregular since I want make sure I've written ahead by at least five chapters at a time so bear with me. _

_It's set in an alternate universe where Draco is good...for now at least. Sirius was not killed in the Department of Mysteries. Voldemort's identity is unknown to all but a select few but that will all be explained later on in the plot. If you get confused please don't hesitate to drop me a message and I'll try and clear it up a little._

_Since I haven't written too far ahead I may come back and tweak previous chapters a little when the later plot plays out. It is a tragedy and there will be a few major character deaths throughout the story so if you're looking for a happy ending, I'm afraid this probably isn't the story for you. _

_Enough of my rambling, so here it is. Tell me what you think. _

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**_Chapter I_**

He wanted nothing more than to be away. Far, far away. Away from his Father's unrelenting influence over him. Away from the prejudices and the grudges he had been brought up to hold against them. But it was too late for that now, and there was no way he was going to come out of this unscathed. He was damned either way. His Father had claimed that it was a matter of pride that he carry out this task on behalf of his mysterious Master, the Master that had never shown his face to Draco, the Master that remained anonymous throughout most of Draco's life as one of his alleged minions, the Master that had commanded him through his Father to perform such a task, but could he bring himself to do it?

Of course not. He had never been a pleasant child and he had his Father in particular to thank for that. He had been brought up to know that he was better than everyone else around him, he was the perfect specimen with his rugged good looks, his sharp tongue and quick mind. But he wasn't perfect, far from actually. If he and his family were so perfect then why did he have to kneel to a Master who was too cowardly to even show his face to him. Why was he the one to have to suffer like this and go out on a limb just to satisfy one of his whims.

In reality, he, Draco Malfoy had been commanded through his Father by this Master to do the unthinkable for a young man like him. He had been commanded to kill someone, someone who in all honesty he hadn't been particularly close to throughout the years he had attended Hogwarts, in fact this someone had irritated him immensely on occasion with his endless speaking in riddles and his plain blindness to things that had happened throughout his six years. Someone who didn't know Draco at all, to him, Draco was simply a name on a list, a bed in the dormitories and nothing more but that didn't mean Draco wanted to kill him at all.

Albus Dumbledore had always been a bit of a mystery to Draco. The old Headmaster had never actually taken much interest in him at all, but then again he never took any interest in any Slytherin child since an event that happened many years ago, an event which no one would ever dare speak of to the students that walked these halls in fear of their corruption. Draco had been told by the few teachers that actually cared enough about their students to overcome house prejudices to notice that he actually had a lot of potential to become something greater than what he already was and at first Draco hadn't known what they had meant until he had slowly gained abilities that weren't normal to many witches and wizards.

He had discovered that he had the ability to penetrate other wizard's minds and read their innermost thoughts without more than a meaningful glance their way. He conducted some research into his condition and discovered that it was exceedingly rare to come across a young wizard like him who could perform wandless and non-verbal Legilimency and Occlumency which awed Draco more than anything and he thought it best to keep his ability to himself. Then he started having the visions, to start with they were little glimpses of the near future than were pretty much meaningless until he discovered that his visions became reality. They were like dreams of a sort, they came to him when he slept, but he could easily distinguish them from dreams. His visions were more vivid and realistic whilst his dreams were hazy and forgotten almost as soon as they had ended although his visions stayed ingrained in his mind.

It was by these visions that he had become aware that his Father's Master was going to command him to do this. But his vision was only a few hours earlier to the actual event itself and so he had no time to try and prevent it from happening. He had been told to kill Albus Dumbledore, eliminate his very existence from the Wizarding World and his Father put particular emphasis on the fact that if he failed in his endeavours that his own life would be used as a replacement, and it was this revelation that scared Draco more than anything.

He didn't want to be a bad wizard, even if it was what his Father had brought him up to be, a spiteful bully at school who was being groomed to fall into line next to his Father and bow to this mysterious Master. He had wanted to create a good image for himself from the first day at Hogwarts, he had stretched out his hand of friendship to Harry Potter in the hope that he didn't turn out to be horrible as his Father had predicted but he had been shot down in the process. It was Draco's first proper rejection and there were plenty more throughout their six years at Hogwarts to come which were mainly down to Harry Potter, the Golden Boy, and Dumbledore's favourite pupil.

He had become colder the more people judged him because of who his Father was until he had managed to build up a cold exterior to himself which provided him with impenetrable barriers that protected his true self from the outside world. Nobody else would know that deep down, he was sensitive; he didn't like watching people cry before him especially because of the words he had said, he loved his Mother more than anything in the world and that sometimes he wished he could just end it all.

He had tried a few times to opt for the easy way out and attempt to wriggle his way out of this awful predicament. Either way he would die, he would be killed by his Father or their Master for failing to complete his task or he would fulfil it and it would destroy him so taking his own life by his own hand seemed the better option but it hadn't worked out the past few times and it hadn't worked now, as he stood before a porcelain sink in the abandoned old girls bathrooms in the dead of the night trying to regain his breath after another failed attempt at trying to drown himself.

He wanted to get out now more than ever because this moment was the opportune moment to strike. Harry Potter was away from Hogwarts tonight and so Dumbledore was left unguarded and so would be easier to access. Draco's continuous observations of Dumbledore had revealed to him that the Headmaster was cursed and was becoming increasingly vulnerable by the day and so it shouldn't be too hard to take him down in a duel and put the man out of his misery. But did he really have willpower to say those two words that would end his Headmasters life?

He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration once more as his stomach flipped violently and his heart beat increased erratically. He would have to kill Albus Dumbledore. He took one last weary look at his reflection in the mirror certain that it would be the last time he would ever see himself again because he knew deep down he would fail his task and that actually seemed like the better option for Draco. The Wizarding World would be better off if Albus Dumbledore lived for another day at the expense of Draco Malfoy's life.

_Well, this is it. Now or never I guess. _He thought quietly and in the reflection of the dirtied mirror he gave himself a sad smile and a grim nod of the head in acknowledgement. He knew from his previous visions that he would find his Headmaster on the Astronomy Tower seemingly waiting for him, but what happened after that was still a mystery to Draco and he didn't want to find out. But he already knew what would happen. He hadn't had any visions that stretched further than this night into the future so it must mean he would fail and die and so that is what he had prepared himself for. Death. And he hoped it would be a kind death, perhaps he would ask Dumbledore to finish him off quickly so he wasn't subjected to his Father's merciless torture.

He felt around in the pocket of his robes for his wand and his fingers curled around the familiar hawthorn wood, the wand that he was expected to fire the worst curse there is at a man who supposedly trusted him. Who was he kidding? Nobody trusted a Malfoy, especially after all of his Father's betrayals. At least he was going to have a little bit of help. His Father had insisted that he let some other Death Eaters into the school to provide a distraction and so that was exactly what he was going to do.

He draped his black cloak over his shoulders and swept away, out of the bathroom and stealthily crept through the lifeless corridors of Hogwarts heading for the Room of Requirement. He took extra time to walk a little slower, of course he could get caught but he'd rather be at Filch's mercy and have an excuse for his failure but much to his dismay Filch didn't show and nobody stopped him as he stole away into the Room of Requirement and carefully picked his way through the endless shelves of discarded junk that nobody cared for anymore.

He ground to a halt as he caught sight of the white sheet covering the cabinet which he had spent most of his year on fixing and now it was finally to fulfil its purpose. He raised a hand and ran his fingers down the cool but dusty wood that made up the cabinet. He knew they were all waiting on the other side and it was his unfortunate duty to grant them access to the place he had called home for the past six years so that they could wreak havoc throughout its halls.

He sighed deeply and closed his eyes, whipping out his wand and tapping it on the wood before muttering the incantation. _"Harmonia Nectere Passus"_ As soon as the words had rolled off his tongue, there was no taking them back and the magical gate had been opened to his Father's minions waiting on the other side of the cabinet. It wasn't long before they all slipped out of the cabinet bickering amongst each other as to who would kill who and destroy what but Draco paid them no heed and instead moved swiftly on his way wishing he could be anywhere else other than here, in this situation.

He could hear the echoes of the laughter of some of the lower ranking Death Eaters behind him as they began to rifle through the items on the shelves that they passed as they followed Draco towards the exit of the room where he would release them to do what they needed to do and he sincerely hoped that all of the students would stay in their dormitories. He was going to be responsible for taking one life on this night and didn't really want many more lives on his conscience.

He left them in a split in the corridor, they carried on towards the grand staircase where he assumed they would all split up and go about their own business whilst he slipped into a side door and began to drag himself up the extensive winding staircase that lined the Astronomy Tower. He didn't run, but took the stairs one at a time as he planned what he would say to the Headmaster. Perhaps he shouldn't say anything, and just kill the man and be on his way. But surely he owed him an explanation of sorts, he deserved that at least.

His breathing hitched when he saw the top of the staircase that opened up into the room that had been the subject of his recent visions. Dumbledore was supposed to be waiting there for him, so surely the man was armed. Draco steeled himself and crept up the last flight of stairs and as his visions had predicted, Dumbledore was waiting for him although he hadn't seen him just yet. The man was watching the cloudy night sky from over the railings, his silver wispy hair was blowing slightly in the breeze and he looked peaceful but Draco wasn't here to admire, he had a job to do no matter how much he may dislike it. As if on cue, Dumbledore turned slowly and as soon as Draco saw his wand at the ready, he leapt forward and found his voice.

"Expelliarmus." He shouted and watched as Dumbledore's uniquely shaped wand was flung out of his hand and flown over the edge of the tower. Draco was confused, Dumbledore was supposed to be one of the most powerful wizards the world had ever known and yet a mere boy of sixteen had managed to disarm him single-handedly without even the raise of a wand in his own defence. He furrowed his brow slightly and looked at Dumbledore who regarded him.

"Good evening, Draco." He said calmly which caused Draco to become even more confused. Surely the man would be showing some signs of panic in a situation such as this. He was without any means of defence at all and at the mercy of an alleged Death Eater. But Draco wasn't a Death Eater, not yet. His Mother had been able to buy him some time but his Father had still insisted on the behalf of his Master that this must be done by none other than Draco.

Who else is here?" Draco asked eyeing his surroundings nervously. If his Headmaster wasn't even breaking a sweat then surely he must believe himself to be protected which means someone else must be in the room. Although from where he was standing, he could see the whole expanse of the room and he was certain that they were alone.

"A question I might ask you. Or are you acting alone?" Dumbledore inquired.

"No, I've got back-up. There are Death Eaters here in your school tonight." Draco admitted ashamedly, hoping that Dumbledore wouldn't pick up on the hint of regret in his voice.

"And where are they now? You seem unsupported." Dumbledore pointed out.

"They won't be long ... I came on ahead. I-I've got a job to do." Draco said, more to himself than anybody else but he could feel his little motivation waning.

"Well, then, you must get on and do it, my dear boy." Dumbledore coaxed him which was confusing Draco more and more with each word that came from the Headmaster's mouth. He couldn't understand it; this wasn't the way it was supposed to be at all. He was expecting his Headmaster to be on his knees begging for his life, pleading for Draco's mercy and in fact, at the moment Draco would have preferred that to this.

"Draco, Draco, you are not a killer."

"How do you know?" Draco asked.

You have been trying, with increasing desperation, to kill me all year. Forgive me, Draco, but they have been feeble attempts ... so feeble, to be honest, that I wonder whether your heart has been really in it..." Dumbledore pondered aloud. _Spot on, yet again old man._ Draco thought to himself but remained silent to the Headmaster before him.

"Perhaps you ought to get on with the job." Dumbledore suggested and Draco's hand wavered slightly as he stood rooted to the spot, not saying a word. He couldn't go through with it now. How naive had he been to think that the Headmaster hadn't noticed anything at all. "I see. You are afraid to act until they join you." Dumbledore spoke kindly.

"I'm not afraid. It's you who should be scared!" Draco cried exasperatedly as he could hear the echoes of bangs and crashes of the fighting below.

"But why? I don't think you will kill me, Draco. Killing is not nearly as easy as the innocent believe." Dumbledore spoke firmly and Draco took this moment to plunge into Dumbledore's mind as he filtered through his memories and was shocked at what he found. He knew everything.

"Why didn't you stop me?" Draco whispered confused. He was angry that all of his suffering could have been put to a halt with a few words from Dumbledore. They were interrupted by the sounds of more crashing that was seemingly getting closer and Draco knew his time was coming to a close.

"There is little time, one way or another, so let us discuss your options, Draco." Dumbledore said quickly.

"My options? I'm standing here with a wand-I'm about to kill you-" He trailed off as he tried to comprehend the situation. Dumbledore was winning and he was letting him.

"My dear boy, let us have no more pretence about that. If you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you first disarmed me."

"I've got to do it! He'll kill me! He'll kill my Mother!" Draco cried in frustration.

"I can help you, Draco." Dumbledore soothed.

"No, you can't. Nobody can. He told me to do it or he'll kill me. I've got no choice."

"Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise…come over to the right side, Draco ... you are not a killer ..."

Draco relaxed his wand arm and let out a long sigh, he was going to die for this. The door burst open from behind him and Draco's heart dropped at the thought that the Death Eaters were here and there was no way out now at all. But then he heard a voice he hadn't expected to hear at all.

"Draco, stop." Came the voice of his cousin, Sirius Black. Draco whirled his head around and his eyes widened, his ears were not deceiving him. What in the name of Merlin was Sirius doing here, and with Harry Potter at his side no less.

"Stop my boy. Your Mother sent me, and it seems I've gotten here just in time." He breathed and Draco began to shake. His Mother had saved him from his fate.

"Put your wand down, Malfoy." Harry growled at Draco who happily dropped his wand to the floor.

"Now, Harry. He wasn't going to do it." Sirius reassured him before stepping forward and placing his hands on Draco's shoulders and looking him in the eyes. "We can protect you. Come with us now, Draco."

Draco's head was buzzing, surely this wasn't happening. He was supposed to be killed for failing his task not be saved by his Mother through Sirius Black. "But…the Death Eaters…my Father…" He stuttered.

"All will be taken care of. Now you must come, we need to hide you quickly." Dumbledore announced and Draco turned shyly to the Headmaster and nodded in thanks before Dumbledore took his arm as well as Sirius' and disapparated.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, just a heads up. Updates will probably be irregular since I have decided I will update a chapter after I write another one ahead so I don't fall behind or anything. Busy few months coming up with exams and all. _

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_**Chapter II**_

The members of the Order of the Phoenix sat around the dining table in the kitchens of Grimmauld Place, the house the Order had been using for a while now to act as Headquarters which had kindly been donated by Sirius who was currently in the bad books of the majority of the Order. He had sat them down at this table as soon as the Death Eaters in the Castle had been taken care of and the students had been sent home and voiced his opinion on the matter.

Sirius wasn't in favour of Draco becoming a member of the Order just because he was a cousin of his own. No, far from it. Sirius could sense the magic emanating from Draco as soon as he stepped into the same room as him on the Astronomy Tower. It was a skill he had acquired during his stay in Azkaban as a matter of fact. He had been away from magic for so long that as soon as he had escaped and was released back into the magical society his senses had been fine-tuned so that he had been able to sense the magic which had been long absent in his life.

Most wizards had a general magical aura about them, nothing too special and there were only a few wizards and witches that Sirius had actually seen that radiated pure magical power. Dumbledore was one of them, as was Harry however with him being part of a prophecy, Sirius thought that perhaps his magical aura had been enhanced by the magic of said prophecy. Hermione was another one, she was incredibly talented in the theoretical side of magic, the facts and such her duelling however could be improved but never had Sirius seen any aura as powerful as Draco's. His aura was so powerful, Sirius could almost hear it crackling with pure energy and it was astounding. The boy held so much potential if he could be swayed to their cause which seemed to be easier than he had anticipated since the boy was reluctant to kill Dumbledore as he had been ordered to do.

Sirius had kept Draco here so he could try and win the Order over. They needed Draco more than they would understand for a long while yet but Sirius was sure he could sway them to his cause. It was easier said than done.

"Are you mad Padfoot?" Lupin gasped as all eyes around the table looked astounded at Sirius who had just finished making his speech. Lupin was not a force to be reckoned with; he was one of the Order's finest and had such a fierce loyalty about him which led him gaining everybody's respect making his opinion in important matters very important indeed.

"No, far from it actually. The boy is skilled, powerful, intelligent-"Sirius began.

"We already have all of that." Barked Harry.

"Let me finish. Please." He cleared his throat. "I mean, you need only look at what the boy did with the Vanishing Cabinets during the year to know he has a lot of potential, he even had old Albus fooled for Merlin's sake."

There were murmurs of agreement amongst the table. "How do we know his loyalties will lie firmly with us though?" Came Lupin's voice.

"Remus, I think that it's enough that Draco didn't want to kill Dumbledore in the first place. He had lowered his wand already by the time Harry and I had arrived after Dumbledore had offered him protection."

"And protection we have given him. It doesn't mean he needs to become a member of the Order does it?" Said Percy Weasley.

"We need all the hands we can get. There are hundreds of Death Eaters out there waiting to strike, if he is willing to help I see no reason why he cannot." Molly reasoned with him.

_One down, plenty more to go._ Sirius thought.

"What if he only lowered his wand because he was a bloody coward. Because that's all he is for Merlin's sake." Ron exploded.

"Please Ronald. If you were forced into that position would you have gone through with it?" Hermione asked and the whole table looked to Ron who shook his head quietly. "Exactly, so I don't see why you can be so judgemental on Malfoy. If he didn't want our help he could have refused it and been on his way but he didn't because he must want to be rid of this _Master_ as much as we all do. If you all are so mistrusting of him then he can swear an oath and that should be the end of it." She finished triumphantly and Sirius and Molly smiled warmly in her direction.

"It's not as simple as that Miss Granger." Said Lupin with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh but it is. How can you not see this? The only thing that is stopping you from accepting Malfoy as a member of the Order is that fact that none of you can be civil enough to look past the grudges you hold against him or his family."

"Yeah, well he is a Slytherin 'Mione, they're not to be trusted." Ron retorted.

"You know you're all just as bad as them aren't you. With the exception of Sirius and Molly, look at you all. The Death Eaters are prejudiced against _Mudbloods_ like me so are you really going to go and give them the exact same treatment and claim that we are fighting on the right side?" She roared and the whole table fell silent before Dumbledore stood in the doorway and clapped his hands at Hermione who blushed slightly and fixed her gaze at a spot on the table before her.

Sirius was proud of Hermione at that moment, she knew exactly what she was doing when she made that remark, playing the pity card so nobody would dare say a word against her because after all she was Hermione Granger.

"Now, now. I think we can all agree that Mr Malfoy isn't a danger to our cause any longer and we can in fact utilize his talents. Of course he will need to convince us of his loyalty, some more than others I assume but would it not be rash of us to turn him away and squander his talents?" Dumbledore asked.

"That is what I've been trying to tell you all along." Sirius huffed and rolled his eyes at the fact that they would listen to Dumbledore when he was saying the exact same thing as he was himself.

"Well, I think it would be wise to see how things play out…" Lupin trailed off silently admitting defeat.

"Yes, and it would be a good idea if you all got over your prejudice and grudges." Hermione added.

"Yes, I wouldn't like _anyone_…" Sirius eyed Harry and Ron "…Making him feel uncomfortable, he is my family after all, as well as yours Tonks and I shan't stand for it and the same will apply to him." Sirius said sternly.

"Who will take responsibility for Mr Malfoy then, he will need to be taught to duel properly if we are going to take him on." Lupin said distastefully.

"I will." Sirius spoke up quickly as everyone turned to face him in shock.

"But Sirius, I thought you already had Harry?" Muttered Tonks.

"I'm sure Harry is more than capable of becoming a proper member of the Order now, without my help. I shall take Draco on now and if Harry wishes to remain beside me then by all means I welcome him."

"But Sirius, you know Malfoy and I have a bad history."

"Well then, all the more opportunity to set aside your differences." Sirius grinned at Harry who sulked back in his chair. Harry had always been funny when it came to Sirius because he was the closest thing Harry had to a family member or a Father and when Sirius said he would like to bring Draco into the equation too, well, it didn't sit well with Harry.

"Right, I'll go and tell him shall I?" He took their silence as a _yes_ before he clapped and rubbed his hands together and rose from his chair which sent the chair legs scraping across the floor emitting a horrible squeaking noise. The majority of the Order sat in deep thought with regards to their newest addition and it would be a long while before any of them actually trusted him at all.

Sirius knew this which is why he chose to watch over Draco while he was in the Order because anybody else with perhaps the exception of Tonks wouldn't have been as welcoming as Sirius would have liked them to be because that was what Draco needed, the Order to extend their hand of friendship to him which is exactly what Sirius was going to do whether Lupin liked it or not.

He tapped on the door rhythmically to Draco's room in the house. Sirius had thought to give him a bedroom to himself since sharing with Harry and Ron would probably cause a few issues. He waited a suitable amount of time before pushing in to see Draco staring out of the window at the passing clouds. In all honesty Draco was worried for his Mother in the event that anybody might find out that it was her who sent Sirius but no matter how much Draco had pleaded to the Order, they had told him that he wasn't to go to Malfoy Manor and look for his Mother and see if she was alright. Instead they would find out through Snape but Draco didn't want that at all. He wanted his free will back, he couldn't even write to her because his Father would find out where he was. He heard the creaking of the floorboards by the door and turned around to see Sirius standing in the doorway.

"It's been settled." Sirius said simply.

"It's about time, I could hear the shouting from up here." Draco yawned indifferently, when in fact he was nervous. He knew the Order wasn't going to accept him with open arms but he could still try and win their trust.

"Well, I've managed to convince them and you're in." He smiled slightly.

"Really? Well I wasn't expecting that." Draco laughed nervously. "Who needed the most convincing then?"

"I'm sure you can guess for yourself. They would be the obvious ones after all." Sirius sighed.

"Potter, Weasley and Granger, right?"

"Actually no. Hermione was quite defensive over you when the other boys were determined to keep you away." A smile tugged at Sirius' lips at the sight of a shocked Draco Malfoy. "Besides, I have come to tell you that they want you to take the Oath, and then you will be placed under my care and I will teach you myself."

"Teach me?"

"Yes, it's similar to Auror training but for the Order instead. It's quite hard work but I'm sure you'll have no problem."

Draco nodded and turned back to the window again. He knew this was going to be hard and the path ahead wouldn't be any easier. He had betrayed everything he had known, everything he had been brought up to believe he was now supposed to forget and instead be brainwashed by the Order. He had abandoned his family, most importantly his Mother and they had been replaced with the Order who were supposed to be like his new family now.

"Yes, I'm sure I won't." Draco echoed and directed his gaze towards the passing clouds once more. He was embarrassed. How could they accept him after he had worked all year to kill their ring leader? How could they all act normally around him knowing full well what he was about to do before Sirius stopped him. _Well Draco, you make your bed and now you lie in it_. He thought to himself as Sirius noted that Draco wanted to be alone and so made a swift exit.

He had never been very close to Draco as he had grown up, he hadn't known much about him at all except from the stories that Harry and Ron would recount for him which didn't paint Draco out to be a good person at all but Sirius was sure they had gotten it wrong, this couldn't be the same boy they would talk so bitterly about.

It was only when his cousin Narcissa had appeared before him out of the blue and pleaded with him to stop her son before it was too late that he took pity on the woman because she evidently didn't want to be caught up in such things, especially her son too who had been forced by his estranged Father. He knew exactly what it was like to be in such a position because it had happened to him when he was a boy with his own Father however he had had his friends to help him through that stage in his life but Draco had no one, and so he wanted to be there for him.

In the beginning, he had only intended to offer Draco safe haven whilst the others went out and fought however after feeling that spark of magic about him, Sirius wasn't so sure that wasting a talent like that was going to be a good move for the Order, even if they didn't agree. It puzzled Sirius more than anything, he knew that Purebloods were born and bred to be the best of the best but most of them weren't and were in fact just as capable as the next Half-Blood or Muggle-Born that came along but not Draco. It was strange because his parents were merely adequate Wizards, no raw talent about them that Draco could have possibly inherited but it was increasingly rare that power like this happen out of the blue.

He would have more time to ponder upon this later, for now he had to be mindful of how the Order would accept Draco because many of them, he knew wouldn't be rolling out the welcome wagon for Draco and so he would watch over him and train him to utilize his powers because in Sirius' mind, the magic that Draco possessed could make him invincible, unstoppable, and all powerful. More powerful than any other witch or wizard could even hope to be.

OOO

The Order gathered around the dinner table for a somewhat less pressing matter, dinner. They all took their seats as Molly placed the traditional roast chicken in front of Lupin as it was his turn this week to carve the meat. Hermione eyed it hungrily and licked her lips, it had been a while since she had eaten a proper meal. She could hear the scrape of the knife against the fork as Lupin carved into the roast bird before everybody cheered but she could not.

She stared sadly at the empty chair across the table. She had known it would be hard for some members of the Order to accept Malfoy, like Harry and Ron for instance but it dampened her spirits a little that he stayed away in the room Sirius had given him and not even show his face to eat. He was going the wrong way about everything, he needed to appear open and friendly to the Order not act like he had something to hide and that he didn't want to speak with them.

"Excuse me." She muttered as she rose from the table and stormed out of the room. She would make him come down for dinner, there were already people who wanted him out as it is and she didn't want him to give them any more reason to. She climbed to the top floor and stopped herself just outside the room she was sure was his. She took a deep breath and collected herself before gently tapping on the door.

"Sirius, I told you I'm not hungry." The voice barked at the door. _How rude_. She thought and proceeded to open the door cautiously, all too aware that she was invading Draco Malfoy's private space right now. She saw his platinum blonde head turned away from her as he leant against the window and stared through the glass longingly. It took him a moment but he turned around and stiffened when he saw her.

"Granger? What do you want?" He asked bemusedly, confused as to what Hermione Granger was even doing in his room.

"You need to come down for dinner." She stated.

"Potter and Weasley might obey your every command but not me, Princess." He drawled.

"You need to get yourself downstairs. Please, you don't understand, don't give them a reason to hate you."

"You mean _another _reason."

She sighed. "Look Draco, this may not mean anything to you at all but there are people down there who know why you did it and we don't blame you. We just want to help you."

"I don't need help. I don't want your pity. What I want is to be taught how to use my magic properly and be on my way."

"No you don't. You want him gone as much as we do. Why do you fight yourself? The only reason you won't stay with us is because of Harry and Ron isn't it?"

"Perhaps. We haven't exactly been the best of friends over the past six years and now you want me to jump right into field training with Harry Potter? Aren't you supposed to be the brightest witch of your age, Princess?"

"Yes I am, and so I know what I'm doing. Come downstairs and eat a decent meal, please." She pleaded.

He rolled his eyes and remained silent looking out of the window again as he watched the sky darken as night crept closer. She was right in a way, he didn't want to stay with Potter and Weasley because in the Order's eyes, they could do no wrong yet he could. But nobody understood his hand had been forced. Well, Granger had pointed out that there were people who did in fact understand this, but that didn't mean they wanted to jump at the chance to get to know him except for Sirius of course. She was right, he shouldn't remain up here because it would only be adding more fuel to the fire.

When he looked up, she was still waiting hopefully by the door, her chocolate eyes were fixed on him clouded with anticipation and so he sighed and pulled himself to his feet, brushing down his robes in the process.

"You're coming?" She asked.

"Yes, lead the way Princess before I change my mind." He scowled and she didn't need to be asked twice. She turned away from him and smiled triumphantly to herself before she set off back towards the kitchen with Draco following a few steps behind in complete and utter silence. She opened the door to the kitchen and retook her seat as Molly finished dishing up the last of the food and the whole room fell silent as Draco stepped into their views. Many of them hadn't seen him at all since the night he had been brought here and so finally seeing him up and about for a change was shocking to say the least.

"Ah, Draco dear. Sit down now, I'll dish you up a plate." Molly smiled warmly at him and took his shoulder and sat him down in the remaining chair at the table whilst several pairs of eyes full of disdain fixed on him. Hermione glared around at those people, Harry, Ron, Lupin, Ginny and Percy trying to warn them off, she didn't like seeing other people being targeted especially since she had had a history with him and his friends targeting her, ironically. Ron was the first to break his gaze since the smell of the chicken wafting from the plate below him had captured his full attention and he proceeded to shovel a mouthful of mashed potato into his mouth.

"Ronald Weasley!" Molly screeched as she hit him upside the head causing him to wince slightly. "You will wait until we say grace you ungrateful boy." She huffed before gesturing to Hermione to say grace for them. She obliged willingly and clasped her hands together just beneath her chin and closed her eyes.

"Bless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen." She recited perfectly before proceeding to make the sign of the cross. Her religion was important to her because it was important to her parents, it kept her going when times were at their darkest so she could still have faith in something. She was the epitome of everything good and pure.

As soon as she unclasped her hands and her eyes fluttered open she proceeded to pick up her knife and fork alongside everybody else around the table and they each dug into the delicious meal that Molly had so kindly provided. Conversation was light about the table and Hermione, Sirius and Molly tried their best to include Draco in the conversations that were about but they seemed to die out quickly leaving the table in a pregnant silence. They knew there were many around the table who had a few things to say to Draco Malfoy but neither of the three would not let them, nor would the rest of them ever dare to cross Molly or Hermione, those two women were ruthless. And so their traditional Sunday meal came and went quickly and when it was over, Hermione, Sirius and Molly shared a brief triumphant glance.

They had managed one civilised dinner without anybody speaking out of turn to him. Of course it wasn't much but they had to take baby steps as it would be a long road until the Order finally trusted him but this was enough for them for now, at least.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

* * *

**_Chapter III_**

It had taken far too much time for Sirius' liking, but Draco had begun to slowly emerge from his shell, especially when Hermione had brought him down for dinner a few weeks previous. Of course he hadn't spoken much but he had still engaged in light conversation with those who were willing to talk to him, however the person Sirius really wanted Draco to get along with would show no interest in attempting to befriend his soon to be comrade in arms.

Sirius had thought that Harry would be past his petty childhood grudges by now since Draco had obviously not tried to kill them in his sleep, or contact _The Master_ and tell him all about where the Order were hiding, surely that would be enough to provide the solid foundations for the trust and eventual friendship that Sirius was hoping would come about but he was wrong. If the two were put in the same room, they wouldn't acknowledge each other, Harry would stare daggers at Draco and if looks could kill Draco would already have died one thousand if not more deaths at the hand of Harry but Draco however would sit there indifferently, not at all bothered nor affected by Harry's presence. He would sit calmly and appear deep in thought to the rest of the world only responding when Harry would make a harsh comment about something or other. It disappointed Sirius, Harry had been raised better than to be prejudiced against Draco, just because his Father and Aunt were Death Eaters doesn't automatically mean that he was himself although Draco was coping with it considerably well, much better than what he had done when he was a child and in the same position.

With the exception of Ron and Lupin, the other members of the Order had slowly begun to warm to Draco's presence there and as each day passed he would become a little more open and sociable with them but the only people he would ever be truly open with were Sirius and Hermione. Sirius was like a Father figure to him, he had begun to teach him how to utilize his skills although he didn't know about Draco's power yet because nobody knew and Draco intended to keep it that way. Sirius was patient unlike how his Father had been when he had attempted to teach Draco the art of torture which Draco downright refused to participate in full stop. However Sirius couldn't be a moral compass to Draco, he couldn't listen to his problems like Hermione could.

She wouldn't ridicule him nor tell him it would be okay when it blatantly wasn't, all he needed was here mere presence and it would calm him significantly. She was a good listener but she could also bring him to heel if she needed too, if he was in the wrong then she would tell him and make her opinion clear, if he was being rash and stupid then she would tell him. It was a great comfort to him because all his life his morality had been depleted and he couldn't seem to stop himself from travelling down the path he had chosen but she was stopping it. She would put him back on the right path and she didn't even know it.

The pompous Weasley, Percy had learnt to ignore Draco and that suited them both the best because to be honest, he couldn't stand him. He never could even come close to tolerating him when he was a youth in his years at Hogwarts and so no matter how hard he tried, he wasn't unable to overcome the underlying irritation he felt at the mere sight of Percy Weasley and so he left him be. The youngest Weasley, Ginny however had slowly overcome the fact that Draco was in fact a rather unpleasant person during their time at school and would often engage in conversation with him at dinner if Hermione wasn't already talking with him and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push Harry and Ron to overcome their differences. They were a lost cause.

Ginny along with the other members of the Order hoped that today, when Draco finally took his Oath that Harry and Ron would finally see that Draco wasn't up to petty playground squabbles any longer and that they really should settle down to the task at hand where cooperation from both parties would be desirable.

Draco was slightly nervous, not at the fact that he would be committing himself to the Order, no, Sirius had already helped him with overcoming that stepping stone, convincing Draco that he was doing the right thing which he already knew he was but he simply wanted other people to think that too. He was worried that still after pledging himself to the Order that they still might not accept him and treat him as an outcast.

He awoke early at the feel of the nervous cramps in his stomach which prevented him from sleeping again. He glanced over at the clock on the opposite wall and stopped moving to quieten the rustling noises the bed sheets made as he turned to listen to the rhythmic ticking of the clock coinciding with the pendulum which swayed to and fro accordingly.

He sat up and tossed the blankets from his body, exposing the naked flesh of his torso to the cool morning breeze that bit into his skin causing the little goosebumps to resurface and polka dot his skin. He rubbed his shoulders in a feeble attempt to warm himself before rising from the bed and stretching. Dumbledore would be here within a matter of hours until the initiation could begin and although he was nervous, he also felt exhilarated too. He was going to stand against this _Master_ that had commanded him and his Father for all of his life without so much as showing his face to either of them and Draco hoped he would be the one to kill him.

He was the first downstairs this morning which wasn't surprising because most of them were rather heavy sleepers who didn't rise until at least 9:00am and so that left Draco with about half an hour to prepare himself. He didn't quite know what he was getting so worked up about, it's not like it was going to hurt, and it wasn't like he was going to have to get a Mark like his Father had done.

Something crashed through the back door and Draco's eyes snapped up to meet the gaunt face of Lupin who stumbled into the kitchen. _Of course, full moon last night._ Draco thought and smirked knowingly in Lupin's direction as he turned his gaze towards the hall and ambled quickly out of the room. Draco waited until Lupin was out of earshot and let out a full blown laugh. _Oh how the mighty have fallen. _

OOO

"I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix, and its members, according to law. So help me Merlin." He recited before he noticed the tip of his wand become aglow with a warm amber light that circled around him before quietly vanishing. It was done and Sirius let out a huge breath of relief as the rest of the Order began to clap with the exception of Ron.

Harry was clapping, although the look on his face could tell everyone that he wasn't happy about it at all. Molly smacked Ron upside the head and hissed something in his ear, something threatening enough to make Ron pale before clapping a little too enthusiastically. Everybody else smiled warmly and clapped him on the back or pulled him into a hug because he had begun to win the majority of them over. Of course it would be a long time yet before they fully trusted him but that's more than what he hoped for.

"I'm afraid the celebrations must wait." Dumbledore interrupted. "I shall only be here for a few hours more and so we have business to discuss, I'm sure." He smiled and led the group into the kitchen and around the table. This was to be Draco's first admittance into a meeting of the Order and he was anxious as to what it might entail, he felt important for a change and not as though he were a social pariah, locked away in his room upstairs excluded from everything. They all sat around the table with Draco taking a seat next to Sirius where he felt the safest and twiddled his thumbs nervously as they all waited for the meeting to fully commence.

"Will Kingsley not be joining us tonight?" Dumbledore inquired.

"No Albus, he can't get away tonight. Ministry business." Lupin replied.

"Ah, well the show must go on." Dumbledore muttered to himself.

"Sir, if I may be so bold. Well, we might not be safe back at Hogwarts in September. I'm sure many of the Death Eaters that we battled on the night we left informed _The Master_ about us meaning that surely he would be on the lookout for us by now." Hermione said nervously.

"Quite right you are Miss Granger, however I have no intention of sending the few of you back to Hogwarts come September. I have already made plans for yourself, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley and Mr Malfoy." Dumbledore said calmly.

"The ferret!?" Ron exploded. Hermione could see Draco clenching his jaw in an attempt not to retaliate.

"Ronald, please. He's an official member of the Order now, you should at least treat him with the respect he deserves." She hissed.

"The respect he so _kindly_ showed us over the past six years, right?" Ron said sardonically.

"Look Ron, can't you just accept that he's changed? Just get over your petty issues and let Dumbledore say what he came here to say." Ginny huffed at her brother.

"Thank you Miss Weasley, Miss Granger." Dumbledore nodded. "I am sure I had already made you aware of the Horcruxes that this _Master_ is in possession of, did I not?" He asked.

Draco was immediately taken aback, what was Dumbledore on about, really? Before he could stop himself the word tumbled out of his mouth.

"No."

All of the eyes in the room turned to look at him confusedly. He was supposed to know more about this _Master_ than anyone according to them when in reality he knew nothing of him and their guess was as good as, if not better than his own.

"A Horcrux is an object in which a witch or wizard conceals a part of his or her soul, these are created for the purpose of attaining immortality. So this _Master_ hasn't made any plans to be snuffed out in the foreseeable future." Hermione sighed in despair.

Draco nodded slowly. "Thank you Miss Granger. Well we are unsure as to how many Horcruxes this _Master_ has in fact created however we do know that we have destroyed two of them, although the details of them shall be kept hidden for the time being. However I suggest that the next step to take would be trying to discover more of these Horcruxes_._"

"Who is going to take on the task, Albus?" Lupin asked.

"It's rather obvious isn't it?" He said glancing from Harry to Ron and finally to Hermione who each comprehended his meaning and met each other's gazes.

"I don't understand, how do I play into this?" Draco asked confused.

"Ah, Mr Malfoy. Our dear friend Sirius will be taking you to be trained up my boy."

"Trained for what exactly?" He asked confused.

Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak but Sirius cut in quickly. "Well Draco, you may not be aware of it but you are in fact in possession of an incredible amount of magical potential. What we are hoping to do is nurture this potential and turn it into power…with your approval of course."

"So you want to turn me into a weapon? Is that it?" Draco raised an eyebrow.

"No, not at all. We want you to fight alongside us when the time comes because it will." Sirius clarified.

"Will you allow it?" Dumbledore asked.

Draco considered this for a moment. The Order were basically using him to fight their battles for them, or with them as Sirius had said but the only thing that appealed to him was not the power, he couldn't give a rat's arse about the power. No, the only thing he had a taste for was revenge. Revenge on his Father, revenge on this _Master_, revenge on each of those people who had ever used him as a pawn in his life.

"Yes."

OOO

"It's my last training session here Malfoy, you going to miss me?" Harry mocked. Over the past few weeks leading up to the end of August, Draco and Harry had come to an understanding of sorts which gave both of them the ability to barely tolerate each other. Of course they both still had an underlying hatred for one another, but it was being slowly quelled by the time they were being forced to spend in each other's presence whilst Sirius trained them.

"You wish, Potter." Came Draco's reply. In truth, Harry, Ron and Hermione were all set to leave the following day upon the Order's instructions. They were going undercover to try and find more of the Horcruxes supposedly dotted about that belonged to the _Master._ Draco wanted to play an active role himself in finding these Horcruxes although was reluctant to spend time in close proximity with the Golden Trio for too long.

Besides, he was still trying to figure out how to bring out his power. Sirius had said he could practically see the magic crackling in the air around him but Draco saw nothing, and neither did anybody else and he thought that perhaps Sirius might be going a little crazy, after all the amount of years Sirius spent in Azkaban probably didn't do him any favours. When he cast his magic, he certainly didn't feel powerful at all in fact he was just the standard wizard with mediocre power and this power Sirius rambled on about didn't make any appearances. Sirius strolled out into the garden of 12 Grimmauld Place.

"Morning gents." Sirius acknowledged them both and made straight for Harry. He had had a discussion with Dumbledore about how he should go about coaxing Draco's power out of him because it was useless at the rate they were going. Harry of course had been helpful in a few ways, he had taught him the very basics and a few helpful tricks along the way but Draco still had a long way to go yet. Sirius was at his wits end and so in a bout of desperation he spoke with Dumbledore, the man seemed to know everything and yet the only thing that Dumbledore had been able to say to him was that the answer to his problem was the problem itself. Sirius hadn't been sure as to what Dumbledore had been letting on to at first but after a few days of pondering, he had come up with a solution.

Harry leaned over and Sirius began to mutter something to him quickly whilst Draco was out of earshot. Harry understood and his face split into a wicked grin.

"I'm going to enjoy this." He snickered.

"Don't hold back, hopefully we'll get some results." Sirius replied quickly as Draco's brow furrowed and he started to stroll over to the pair before Sirius held up a hand signalling for him to stop. "Gentlemen. Draw your wands." And as soon as he had said it, both boys had whipped out their wands and held them poised and ready, pointing in the direction of the other.

"We'll start off with a bit of a warm up. Objective: disarm your opponent." Sirius flicked his wrist and spun on his heel strolling away until he was within a safe distance. He began to twiddle his moustache between his fingers as he waited for hopefully promising results.

"Stupefy." Draco yelled but Harry was too quick for him and easily avoided the jolt of light flying towards him.

"Protego. Rictusempra." Harry roared and Draco wasn't ready for this one and so the spell hit him causing him to stumble backwards into fits of laughter although he clutched his wand tightly. His anger was brewing, Saint Potter would dare to make a fool of him like this. "Something funny Malfoy?" Harry asked sardonically.

"Finite." He muttered and Draco's laughter stopped immediately. "I'm not done playing with you yet Malfoy." He smirked.

"Flippendo!" Draco boomed yet Harry, with a wave of his wand non-verbally deflected the spell.

"That all you got Malfoy? Surely Daddy dearest taught you better than this? Oh wait, he was too wrapped up kissing his Master's arse wasn't he?" Harry jeered. Draco's eyes narrowed at Harry who was almost laughing out loud at how easily he could push Draco's buttons. "You can't hide behind Mommy's skirts forever you know, come and fight, coward."

Draco was practically boiling with rage by now and Sirius was watching in awe, Draco's aura was crackling violently with magic and raw emotion. Surely he must've been right. Draco emitted a growl deep from inside his throat and it was he who caught Harry of guard this time.

"Expelliarmus!" Draco bellowed but this time the jet of red light had met Harry's own and the two clashed violently latching onto one another, creating a sort of connection between the two wands and there was a bright ball of red light in the middle of the two curses where they met. Sirius straightened up and watched in amazement, he had never seen Draco do anything like this before. Draco's rage was unstoppable and the point where the two spells connected was quickly retreating to Harry's side due to Draco's immense power into his spell. Harry was struggling to maintain himself and so he desperately clasped his other hand around his wand, hoping a two handed grip would give him some advantage but he was dismayed as Draco's Expelliarmus hit the tip of Harry's wand and set Harry flying backwards.

Sirius looked at Draco who wasn't even breaking a sweat. Dumbledore was right, to coerce Draco's power out of its shell, he needed to be riled up, some strong emotion needed to power it. Sirius had never seen anything like that before, because nobody had ever beaten Harry Potter's spell until now. Harry was supposed to be the most powerful wizard of his age but Draco had easily beaten him when he had his power unleashed, leaving Sirius with a whole lot more to think about.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

___Just a little reply to one of my previous guest reviews (I would have done this by message but being a guest...) the Weasleys aren't in fact a Catholic family, just Hermione in this fanfic but Molly likes her tradition and respects it. Sorry for the confusion._

_Updates have been irregular, I know but I'm working on writing ahead. After exams though updates should regulate so bear with me._

* * *

**_Chapter IV_**

Harry and Draco were incredibly tired when they crawled back into the house that evening and Sirius was deep in thought. In fact, as soon as he re-entered the house he poured himself a generous glass of Ogden's Finest before chugging it back as everybody sat and waited for him to say something. He slammed his glass back down on to the side and took a few deep breaths before pouring himself another glass and making his way out of the room leaving the rest of the Order befuddled.

Harry had come in looking rather beaten but he didn't have his usual scowl plastered across his face because of being so close to Draco who looked pale and worn out. They both silently made their excuses and left for their own rooms separately leaving the Order to wonder exactly what had in fact happened in today's training session.

Molly waited to serve dinner until the three decided to reappear since Harry, Ron and Hermione would all be leaving in the morning and the Order probably wouldn't be seeing them for a long while after that. They had to lie low in case the Death Eaters found out what they were doing, ultimately getting them killed. Molly was incredibly proud of the three of them for doing this and being as brave as they were being but her motherly instincts still kicked in and she felt a pang of sadness at the thought of losing her children, because Harry and Hermione were as much of her children as Ron was. She placed a warming charm over the food and went to comfort Ginny who was still deeply grieved over Harry's looming departure.

Sirius sat in his room for a while trying to make sense of today's events. No wizard was supposed to be more powerful than Harry, except perhaps the _Master_ or perhaps Dumbledore because of the prophecy that was attached to him making him more powerful theoretically. But how was Draco able to diminish Harry's spell like that, especially when Harry was trying incredibly hard to gain control over it and win the upper hand. It was unfathomable.

'_...he will have power the Master knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ...'_

This is the one part of Sybill Trelawney's prophecy that contradicted the idea of this chosen one being Harry. Everybody in the Wizarding World knows of Harry Potter's power because of the ordeals he has been put throughout his life and so it was common knowledge meaning that this _Master_ must also know. Draco, on the other hand had a power that not even Sirius was sure of until this day when he so easily disarmed Harry, in fact Sirius was sure Draco himself didn't quite know of the power he held in the palm of his hand. It was a power long concealed, and it certainly fit this part of the prophecy, it was a long shot but could this possibly mean that the prophecy wasn't in fact intended for Harry Potter, but for Draco Malfoy?

Everything they previously knew about the Prophecy would be wrong in such a case. Sirius buried his head in his hands and groaned, wondering if perhaps he should seek Dumbledore's council once more, however the old man wouldn't arrive back at Grimmauld Place until the morning and so Sirius would without a doubt be spending his whole night thinking and drinking, perhaps he might out for a moonlight run with Lupin. A little knock at the door startled Sirius and he cleared his throat and placed his glass on the small end table beside him.

"Come in." He spoke and the doorknob rattled before opening slightly, letting in a little slit of light that illuminated the dark wooden floor which was soon blocked by the shadow of his visitor. He looked up and he could just distinguish her frizzy brown curls, he squinted for a moment and then realisation hit.

"Hermione. what can I do for you poppet?" Sirius asked sitting up straighter in his chair. She walked in and closed the door firmly behind her before turning back to Sirius. She had come to him because he was like a Father to her within the Order and so she felt she could go to him with most things in comparison to any other Order member, except perhaps Molly.

"Sirius, I'm leaving tomorrow and of course I don't quite know how long I will be gone or if our plans will be discovered. But I want to take precautions." She paused and he nodded for her to continue, she took a deep breath. "I know that the Death Eaters prefer to use loved ones against their targets to hurt them indirectly and if I get found out then I fear that my parents will be targeted."

"Hermione, you set up the wards around their house yourself." Sirius reassured her.

"It's not enough, I still feel that they are vulnerable. They're Muggles after all, what chance do they stand against an average wizard let alone a highly advanced dark wizard?"

"What do you propose we do?"

"I have given it a lot of thought over the past few weeks and the only thing I can possibly think of doing is to move them far away where they will be out of reach of the Death Eaters. I did consider modifying their memories but I can't bring myself to do that to them, I promised them I'd never use magic on them." She whispered.

"And where should we hide them?"

"Well…my parents did always talk about where they would like to go when they retired and so I'd like to send them to Australia, they'd like that." She finished wistfully. "I've created a portkey too, I just had to catch you on your own so I could tell you. They're my only family and I want them to be well out of harm's way." Sirius rose from his chair and placed a hand on Hermione's trembling shoulder.

"Would you like me to come with you?" He asked gently and she nodded in return. "Okay, come on poppet." He wrapped an arm around her and steered her towards the back door and released her before jogging over to the shed and retrieving two brooms. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of them and her arm instinctively caught the broom that Sirius tossed in her direction. They had to travel by broom since there was no floo to her parents' house and Grimmauld Place was smothered in anti-apparation wards so it was with a gulp that Hermione reluctantly mounted the broom.

She kicked up from the ground alongside Sirius and as soon as she no longer felt the security that flat ground beneath her feet provided her, her grip on the handle of the broom tightened and she placed her feet firmly on the crossbars. It was no secret that Hermione Granger hated broom riding but it was the easiest way to get around London, unseen by anybody else as long as they stayed in the clouds for the majority of the way. She would just have to grin and bear it if she wanted to get her parents away tonight.

They climbed higher and higher into the sky and Sirius made sure he stayed relatively near to Hermione who he knew was a fearful flyer as they quickly ascended into the cloud coverage to prevent any Muggles from seeing them by accident. They didn't live too far away from Grimmauld Place and it would take about 20 minutes to get there by broom, hopefully that was short enough to get them back in time before their absence was noted. Besides, Hermione wanted to make sure she said her goodbyes because for all she knew within a few weeks' time, or a few months' time, she could very well be dead and so she wanted to leave no words left unsaid.

Once she was above the clouds, she calmed down a little, she could no longer tell how high she was above London which quelled her fears for now and she felt free. There were artificial lights to guide her way so she and Sirius flew by the light of the moon and the stars that shone above their heads. It was slightly chilly and there were occasional gusts of wind which made her shiver but other than that she was enjoying the feeling of liberation she obtained by being so far away from everything, it felt like she was leaving all of her problems behind and it was therapeutic in a way.

They frequently dipped below the clouds to check they were on the right track and after a short while, Hermione could recognise the small shopping centre that was only a short walk from her house. She remained below the clouds and began looking for the roads she recognised before finding the right one and tracing it along the familiar route that would ultimately lead her to her home. When she saw it, she called out to Sirius and they both nosedived down towards the house.

They dismounted their brooms in an alleyway across the road from her house and propped them up against the wall where they would collect them later. Sirius took out his wand and held an arm out to stop Hermione from moving out of the alley without him checking the area first, they couldn't be seen.

"Homenum Revelio" Sirius whispered and the two both looked about curiously to see if the spell had revealed anybody who might have been lurking however much to their relief, they were alone. "Are your parents expecting you?" He asked.

"Yes, they should all be packed up by now." She sighed.

"All right, come on now and quietly." He uttered before slowly emerging from the alleyway, still glancing in each direction constantly in case of any intruders. She followed timidly, mimicking his movements of looking about her making sure to scan every nook and cranny she knew of on the street where she used to play for her parents' safety. She held her breath as she knocked in a certain tune on door which would alert her parents that it was her outside. Within a few moments she heard all of the locks rattling before the door was yanked open so she could see the gaunt face of her Mother who pulled her into an embrace.

Her Mother's shallow and harsh breathing was all Hermione could her ringing in her ears and as she pulled away the red tear tracks on her cheeks were evident. Mrs Granger was a sensitive being and when her only daughter turned up one day and told her and Mr Granger that there was about to be a Wizarding War, that she herself has probably been marked a prime target because of her closeness to Harry Potter and it got better, she wanted to move them out of the country in case someone came along and murdered them. It was a harsh blow to the Granger's and poor Mrs Granger hadn't stopped worrying and crying about her little baby girl ever since, not even the thought of finally going back to Australia could cheer her up even a smidgen.

She looked about the street carefully before pulling the pair into the house and firmly shutting the door and reapplying all of the locks before turning the lights out and taking the lit candle and proceeding to walk back into the lounge where Mr Granger sat impatiently tapping his knee. Hermione looked about her childhood home, the home that held so many memories which now only contained bare patches of carpet and wall alike which displayed lighter shades where the furniture once was.

"Hello kitten." Came Mr Granger's broken voice as he stood up before his daughter eagerly embraced him.

"Hello Daddy." She sniffled and took a moment to inhale the smell of his cologne one last time, she would remember this, the smell of her parents, and her home because she didn't know if the welcoming smell would ever meet her nose again. She took a step back out of her Father's embrace and steeled herself.

"I'm sorry I have to do this, but it's for your safety. You must understand I can't take any risks because one slip up could cost your lives." She said sternly.

"We understand that kitten, we just wish you were coming with us. What kind of parents are we, running away and leaving our kitten to fight in a war." Mrs Granger wailed.

"If I may." Sirius cut in. "You may not be aware but Hermione is a very exceptional young witch, she can defend herself if need be and she is not on her own, there are many in the Order who wouldn't let anybody harm a hair on her head. I assure you." Mrs Granger took this news reassuringly and her hysteria calmed a little but Mr Granger nodded solemnly.

Hermione looked at the clock, she had two minutes left until the portkey would activate and she would have to bid her parents goodbye. There was so much she had to say but not enough time to say it. Instead she fished about in her purse and pulled out a snow globe which contained a picture of the family together on the inside, she shook it wistfully and watched as the little bits of snow floated about in front of their three faces. She sighed and handed it to them.

"This is your portkey. It will activate in about a minute and a half now and it will take you to Sydney, where you always wanted to go, remember? You mustn't use your proper names if you can avoid it, just for security reasons and you mustn't try to contact me at all. I promise I will visit when there isn't any danger and I will get you the minute the war is over. Also, the portkey will leave you feeling a little nauseous so take care." She spoke and Sirius noted the strain in her voice as she tried to stop it from breaking several times throughout her little speech. Her Father took the snow globe and they both wrapped Hermione in one last hug.

"Please, please, please stay safe Hermione. I don't know what I should do if anything should happen to you." Mrs Granger whimpered.

"Mom, I'll be fine. Trust me. If not trust Sirius and Dumbledore, they won't let me get hurt. Now let go, it will activate any second now. I love you Mom, you too Dad." She whispered and they both nodded as they stepped away and picked up their emergency belongings. Mr Granger wrapped an arm around his wife who was still sniffling and he took her hand and placed in under his own on the snow globe. With one last look at their daughter, the port key activated and right before Hermione's eyes they were pulled away.

As soon as they were gone, Hermione's cool composure slipped away from her at the deep pang of hurt in her chest and she wanted nothing more than to fall to her knees and weep like a child but she was stronger than that. She knew she had to make sacrifices in this war and she would have to grin and bear it, besides she would rather them be away and out of harm's way rather than be close to her and end up dead in the long run.

Tears prickled at her eyes and she remained stood away from Sirius for a few moments more so she could supress her emotions. _Come on Hermione, you're a woman, you can hold on to this forever. You need to be strong for everyone else, you're going to need to have a clear head from tomorrow onwards. _She repeated the mantra in her head several times before brushing herself off and taking a deep breath before plastering a fake smile across her face and turning to Sirius.

"Shall we be off then? I'm sure Molly will be wondering where we are if we don't get back quickly." She said cheerily and Sirius simply nodded, he was baffled. _Women._ He rolled his eyes and the two stole away into the alleyway across the road and took off on their brooms and headed back towards Grimmauld Place.

OOO

The next morning was a grave one with the oncoming departure of the Harry, Ron and Hermione. Nobody really wanted to say goodbye to them fearing it might be the last time they would ever see their faces about Grimmauld Place again. There were members of the Order who would happily take their place so the three wouldn't have to go out there alone, like Bill who was more than willing to step in for Ron his baby brother, it wasn't fair on them.

They all sat around the table they had shared so many meals together with them for one final breakfast and all was silent as the Order remained in the gloom. How would they even be able to eat around this table without Hermione's political ranting, Harry's banter with Draco or even the sound of Ron shovelling food down his gullet? These were sad times indeed.

Molly had made sure she prepared breakfast extra slowly, as she waited for the three to make an appearance in the kitchen one last time. When she had finished, they still hadn't shown and so it was with a heavy heart that they all began eating and waiting. Sirius toyed with the food on the plate before him knowing full well that as soon as the three had left he would drink himself senseless. It was like losing three children in one day and he couldn't possibly imagine how much worse things could get.

He had promised James and Lily Potter that he would keep their son safe and by letting him go on this suicide mission wasn't particularly honouring that promise at all. The three walked into the room quietly, already dressed and packed for their departure. They sat themselves down at their usual seats around the table and began to eat quietly except for Hermione who hunched over the table supporting her head with one of her hands as she stared aimlessly at the food before her.

"You need to eat poppet. You need your strength." Sirius encouraged her slightly and it was with a sigh she lifted her spoon and plunged it into the porridge before swirling it around creating little lines which she found some amusement in and so she began to create little patterns and then paused as she watched them disappear.

They all walked the three of them into the lounge, they were going to floo into Hogwarts to speak with Dumbledore and then who knows where they would be off to? They didn't even know themselves where they were going, so Molly had made sure to pack almost every essential she could possibly think of for them all. Hermione felt like she was walking to her death, but she daren't voice her fears or even display an ounce of them on her face.

They embraced each member of the Order in turn and muttered small words of reassurance as well as receiving the same old '_Keep Safe' _and '_Be carefuls'_. Hermione was the only one of the three who hugged Draco who was standing idly in with the crowd. He was taken aback at her forwardness but awkwardly placed his arms around her. In all truth, he was going to miss her, after all she had stood up for him as well as coercing him out of his room that night which happened to be one of the best things he ever did since joining the Order. He wasn't much of an outsider now but there were still the odd few who disliked him.

She said nothing to him, but instead looked into his eyes and offered a small but broken smile before turning and joining Harry and Ron in the fireplace. She took one last look at all the friendly, familiar faces of the Order before Harry dropped the floo powder into the ashes and they were gone.


	5. Chapter 5

___**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

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_One Year Later_

It was a year since Harry, Ron and Hermione had left Grimmauld Place on one rather depressing morning and no member of the Order had heard from them since. They didn't know if they were dead or alive, safe or in danger and it worried them more than anything. Dumbledore wouldn't tell them anything about their whereabouts. It wasn't as though Dumbledore didn't trust them, but with a war getting ever closer he didn't want information getting into the wrong hands, especially when it regarded the safety of three of the Order's finest.

That morning when they had come to him, he had told them everything he knew about Tom Riddle, this so called _Master._ It was highly classified information that only Dumbledore himself and a few others knew, if the information got out then it could trigger a full scale war and Dumbledore wanted to avoid conflict at all costs however he knew war was inevitable, Tom Riddle was not a man to simply give up.

He had known it was Tom Riddle for a long time, ever since he found out about the Horcruxes in Harry's second year when he had brought the diary to him after retrieving it from the Chamber of Secrets. Nobody knew to whom the diary belonged, but Dumbledore knew from what Harry had described and a memory he had seen, that it was indeed a Horcrux.

Horcruxes were a very dark kind of magic and a rare one at that and in all of Dumbledore's time at Hogwarts he had only ever seen one student who knew of it. Tom Riddle. Dumbledore spent the next few years after that collecting information on Tom and pieced it together but he knew from a memory he had collected from Slughorn that Tom was not satisfied at the creation of one Horcrux, but seven, so it meant that he had a lot of work to do.

Harry had been more than eager to help since it was this _Master_ that ended up murdering his parents all those years ago and so it was only natural that he should want to get revenge of a kind and so Dumbledore sent him along with Ron and Hermione who wished to accompany him on his way to destroying those Horcruxes.

But after a year, they had destroyed all but one. Of course it was progress but it wasn't the desired amount of progress they had hoped to make because Tom had concealed them well. Dumbledore however almost felt guilty for sending Harry on a mission that he probably wasn't intended for. It was shortly after the three had left for their mission that Sirius had confronted him and expressed his thoughts on Draco and the prophecy and after a lot of consideration Dumbledore actually agreed with him somewhat and couldn't imagine how he hadn't seen it before however he wasn't totally dismissive of Harry because both boys fit different parts of the prophecy.

To make sure all was certain, he had told Sirius to take Draco away from Grimmauld Place and train him up properly, because when the time was right, Dumbledore wanted to see this power and he wanted to see that Draco had it well under control before he passed his judgement on the matter, but it was plausible but he wasn't ready to dismiss Harry just yet.

Regular reports from Sirius told Dumbledore that Draco was incredibly talented. He had already mastered non-verbal as well as wandless magic, he could flawlessly perform both Occlumency as well as Legilimency and of course when powered by emotions he could easily wipe out a target however as Sirius had described, it was best not to let that emotion be rage because although with his rage he was far more powerful, it could backfire on them and the consequences could be disastrous. After all, Sirius had only seen him slightly irked and he had managed to take down Harry so what would happen when he was fully enraged?

OOO

"Come on then Draco, one last time." Sirius panted as he took hold of his wand once more, he stopped in his tracks and turned. "We'll try non-verbal and wandless. Let's go." He clapped his hands and jogged to a safe distance before turning on his heel and grinning devilishly.

Draco held his hands out poised and ready to fend off Sirius' attempts. He never actually considered Sirius to be a powerful wizard at all really, but he sure as hell was skilled with a wand and was a worthy opponent for Draco and yet after over a year of solid training, Sirius still had surprises at every corner keeping Draco on his toes.

A non-verbal spell shot in Draco's direction and he held up both of his hands forcefully and by manipulating his _Deprimo_ he could successfully compress the air in front of him creating a barrier of a sort which slowed the jet of light that was dashing towards him. He slowed it as it approached, his hands were shaking at the magical energy being drained from him, he could only manage magic so advanced if he was powered by emotion but he couldn't muster this powerful emotion at all. He felt nothing but an empty void.

Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead as he tensed his hands and forced the jet of light back in the other direction before letting go of his hold on it so it shot back at Sirius who shielded himself from it with a quick _Protego_. Draco fell to the damp grass beneath him and threw his cloak off as he lay panting heavily on the grass, he really needed to gain more stamina because falling down in battle like this wouldn't do him any favours.

His body was shaking with the sheer force that he had exerted to turn that spell around because generally, the more powerful the spell, the harder it was to turn and Sirius cast a pretty mean _Reducto_. Of course it would be nothing like an actual battle for instance where he would have to manipulate the most powerful curse, the Killing Curse but it was a little crazy to try and practice that one because if he failed he would die.

He could just about make out Sirius' amazed laughter coming from a few metres away as well as the sound of him clapping his hands triumphantly over the sound of his roaring blood and pounding heart. Sirius ran over to Draco and offered him a hand up which he took but his legs felt like jelly and so he wobbled slightly before regaining his balance. He felt a little trickle from his nose and instinctively raised a finger to wipe it before inspecting it to see it was blood. _Oh come on! Really? How weak do you want to play me out to be!?_ He cursed silently as he cast a quick spell to stop the bleeding.

"That was brilliant, Draco. We're really making progress now." Sirius smiled as he clapped him on the back.

"Oh good, and there's me thinking the last year was for nothing." Draco laughed sardonically and Sirius chuckled. He hadn't expected Draco to open up to him as much as he had at all, he now considered Draco as a son like he did with Harry and Hermione, not particularly Ron but that wasn't the point. There was a lot more to Draco than what he could decipher from face value, he was incredibly smart and witty although he couldn't top Hermione on that regard. He had an extraordinary sense of humour too but he could feel.

He wasn't cold as Sirius would have expected him to be, he was much like his Mother in that aspect. Sirius knew that Draco missed his Mother terribly and he worried for her since she was the one to reveal everything to him so he could prevent Draco from doing something stupid and Draco was scared for her safety and no amount of Occlumency could stop Sirius from seeing that.

They were interrupted by a flash of silver light and then, hovering before their eyes was a silver phoenix that flapped its wings gracefully. Sirius looked at the Patronus before him and instantly recognised it as Dumbledore's before it spoke.

"Sirius, I must request that you return to the Order promptly. They're back, and we have news…" Finished Dumbledore's voice and the silver phoenix faded away into nothingness. Sirius knew Dumbledore had to remain vague but he couldn't help but curse the old man for putting a million questions into his head at this point. Draco looked confusedly at Sirius, he knew they would have to go back some time and Draco's changes wouldn't be missed by the Order but the time had come to return.

They apparated back into the house they shared and headed straight for the floo. Sirius ushered Draco in first and he uttered his destination whilst Sirius placed up all the protective wards he knew around the small, desolate house before flooing to Grimmauld Place himself. He was greeted by a chaotic hubbub of people bustling about crowding around a very filthy and tired looking Harry, Ron and Hermione. They were alive, and they were safe and well. Sirius couldn't believe it and so without another thought he pushed everybody out of the way and wrapped his godson in a bear hug. _He's safe! Oh Lily, James, he's safe!_ He cried out in his head and revelled in his godson's presence for the first time in over a year.

Everybody pushed through to try and hug the three of them but Draco noticed that Hermione was shying away from them all. He scanned her for any sign of injury and was relieved to find that there wasn't any evidence of physical injury on her body but his eyes didn't stop roaming. She was positively filthy and her skin had been darkened with the dirt that plastered her face, her clothes were tattered even though she had tried her best to heal them and her hair was a matted mess. In truth, he had thought about her quite a lot in the year he had been away and it wasn't until she had left that he realised just how much he had missed her.

"Call Dumbledore, we have something important to share." Harry panted and Lupin nodded before stepping out of the room.

"Harry dear, why don't you have a little rest before you see everyone?" Molly suggested.

"No, Molly-" Harry began.

"Thank you, Molly. I'll be a few hours." Hermione muttered curtly before making a swift exit from the room. It wasn't just Draco, but everybody noticed that something was definitely wrong with Hermione. Draco looked to Sirius who sauntered over to him inconspicuously.

"What's wrong with her?" Draco whispered.

"My guess is as good as yours, she'll snap out of it. Teenage hormones, go figure..." Sirius uttered. Draco hummed in acknowledgement but he was puzzled at Hermione's strange behaviour.

OOO

Hermione ran the shower so it was scalding hot and stepped underneath its unforgiving heat which prickled her skin as it burned. She had been away from hot water for so long that she wanted to revel in the luxuries it brought to her. Looking down at the water that was heading for the drain, she noticed how completely and utterly filthy it all was and she couldn't stand being filthy. She already endured enough remarks throughout her childhood about having filthy blood and so she wasn't going to add any more fuel to the fire.

She scrubbed every inch of her body until all traces of mud were completely gone, but she still kept scrubbing until her skin was red and sore in protest, the bristles of the scrubbing brush almost drew blood so she decided to stop there and vigorously wash her hair.

She stepped out and covered dressed herself in some of the warmest clothes she owned before crawling between the sheets. She was angry, she was furious and she wanted nothing more than to cry but she refused. _Crying is for the weak, Hermione. You are not weak, don't permit yourself to stoop._ She scolded herself inwardly. There were several knocks at the door over the next few hours, mainly being Harry and Ron who wished to justify their actions but they weren't reasonable in any sense.

_Flashback_

_They were going to give up. They hadn't made any progress in the last few months at all. Of course they had had a major breakthrough when Dumbledore had revealed to them that he did indeed know who The Master was. He was an ex-student of Hogwarts named Tom Riddle, the wizard who had killed Harry's family and of course Hermione being Hermione, spent all of her time delving into his past trying to find any possible locations of the Horcruxes he had created. _

_It was impossible, all they could really find was information on his childhood and his heritage and nothing more from after Hogwarts that wasn't already public knowledge. They had decided not to reveal the identity of The Master just yet because the more people that knew, the more likely it was of The Master becoming aware of their knowledge therefore giving him the upper hand. They just needed to find one more Horcrux._

_It wasn't until early one morning when Hermione had risen and sat outside the tent next to the boys who were taking their watch together that it happened. They heard the distinctive 'pop' of apparition followed shortly by what sounded like a kafuffle through the trees. Despite the protective enchantments around the small area they were occupying they all held their breaths. Nobody in the right mind came to this forest at all, it was basically deserted which is why they were hiding there in the first place. _

_They all crept to the border of the wards and just through the clearing in the trees they would see a group of wizards in black robes holding down a man who was incredibly beaten and bloodied to the extent where he might possibly be bordering on death. With another 'pop' another wizard appeared before them, he too was dressed in black robes and wore a mask similar to that of the other wizards and the wizard on the floor stiffened in his presence. _

_"You didn't believe we'd actually bring you out here did you, Mudblood? Where not a single soul can hear you scream, beg, plead and cry for our mercy." Came the ominous voice of the wizard._

_The beaten wizard before him cowered a little before raising his chin up valiantly. "Do what you wish to me you son of a bitch Death Eater but you won't get a word out of me. In reality you're a coward, hiding behind a Master who you don't even know and you're just as bad, cowering behind a mask." _

_The wizard reached a gloved hand across his face and tore the mask from his eyes which knocked his hood back in the process to reveal a silky mane of white blonde hair and a face that the three hiding behind the safety of the wards recognised instantly. Lucius Malfoy. _

_"Harry, we have to do something." Hermione hissed and Harry looked about desperately, trying to think of anything they could do to save the man. They were sorely outnumbered with there being five Death Eaters and only three of them, the odds weren't in their favour at all. _

_"So tell me Mudblood, where is your daughter and her precious Order hiding?" He drawled. _

_"If you don't know then how in the name of Merlin would I know? Nymphadora would never offer such information to anybody even if she could, even if I knew I would never tell you." He spoke defiantly. _

_"The more you resist the harder it will be for you. Crucio." Said Lucius, pointing his wand towards the man who crumpled up in pain. He clenched his fists at his sides as so not to give them the satisfaction of screaming. _

_"Harry! It's Tonks' Father, please do something!" Hermione pleaded and when Harry solemnly shook his head Hermione made a dash for it but Ron and Harry held her back. It wasn't as though they didn't want to save Tonks' Father but they knew it would put their own mission in jeopardy, Harry knew that if they were revealed then their mission was a failure. Hermione still fought against their tightening grips on their arms, determined to rescue him. _

_He however could no longer take the amount of pain he was being exposed to and so he let out a blood curdling scream that echoed through the forest. The Death Eaters simply laughed at his torture and Hermione was close to tears in rage. Lucius relieved the man for a moment. _

_"Anything you would like to tell us yet, Mudblood?"_

_"I told you, I don't know anything!" He pleaded._

_"I don't believe you." He said simply. _

_"You can kill me. But make no mistake about it, my wife and her sisters would never forget this." _

_Lucius guffawed "You really think you are even worthy of a blood traitor like Andromeda? You aren't even worth the slime in her cauldrons and as for her sisters they care nothing for her, let alone a Mudblood like you. They are far away in a cave somewhere doing a job for the Master and so they will never even find out that you are cold in your grave. That is of course if we even give you a grave. No, I might keep your corpse and send it little piece at a time to your precious daughter." _

_Hermione broke free of Harry and Ron's grasp as she attempted on last time to make a break for it but Harry immobilised her putting her under the influence of a Petrificus Totalus before disapparating away._

_When they had roused her, she was already far away from the clearing and back in Grimmauld Place surrounded by the faces she hadn't seen in over a year now. She wasn't at all happy though, she felt anger at the two who were supposed to be her friends for what they had let happen to Ted Tonks back in that forest and by now he was most certainly dead. _

She pondered over the memory as she fought with herself not to cry. She felt so helpless at the thought that she had let him die before her eyes. However as she relayed it over and over again something caught her attention. Lucius had been talking about a cave and something to do with the _Master_. After scanning all of her notes on Dumbledore's memories of Tom Riddle she had found what she was looking for.

_In his childhood, Tom Riddle was brought to a seaside site on holiday with his orphanage. He discovered a cave and terrorised two fellow orphans there. _

It wasn't much but it was all she had. With this revelation she shot up from her bed forgetting all previous moments of grief concerning Ted Tonks before yanking open the door and bolting down the stairs to tell the Order about her findings.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, I know some of you are aching for some interaction but all in good time my pretties! There will be little bits here and there but things won't kick off properly for a good few chapters yet. Also just a little heads up but I know that some of my characters are OOC like Dumbledore, and also Lupin in the next few chapters and Hermione too but they're needed for the storyline. _

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**_Chapter VI_**

"Professor, you don't understand. I think there may be a Horcrux hidden in that cave. Why else would _The Master_ send one of his favoured and most trusted Death Eaters to this cave?" Hermione ranted. They were doubting her again as always, she was sick of this, sick of not being listened to as she should be and it irked her immensely.

"Miss Granger, please-"Dumbledore protested.

"No! Can we just check for Merlin's sake! There's no harm in checking."

Dumbledore sighed. "Very well Miss Granger, I acquiesce. Tell Harry to come in would you on your way out." He waved a hand dismissively.

In all honesty, Dumbledore was curious about the cave that Hermione had mentioned and he did in fact know the exact cave that she was talking about, it was one from one of his memories and so he would have no trouble locating it. But, he thought it a bit odd that Tom would have sent Bellatrix there because after all, she was his most faithful servant and lover meaning it must be something important. Dumbledore was positively ecstatic at the possibility of finding the last Horcrux but he couldn't help the underlying feeling that something was wrong, something was out of place which led to his doubts in Hermione.

Hermione slipped silently into the lounge where everyone was sitting about and having a good catch up with Harry and Ron, they all fell silent as she stepped into the room. She hadn't uttered a single sentence to anybody since she had stormed off into her room and they all worried for her, but Harry and Ron knew the real reason as to why she was so angry and upset. Her glare settled upon them and they cowered under the intensity of it.

"Harry, Dumbledore wants to see you in the Library." She muttered and waited as Harry crawled up from the pillows on the floor and scampered out of the room not daring to look her in the eyes. She turned on her heel to leave.

"Hermione, dear? Why don't you sit down here for a little while?" Molly asked carefully.

Hermione's gaze narrowed at Ron. "You haven't told them have you?" She asked him, her nostrils were flaring and she clenched her fists at her side to stop her from lashing out at the doorframe. It only worked for a small amount of time and so in a bout of rage she pushed the half open door with such a force that it crashed into the wall startling everybody in the room. "God damn it! They deserve to know what happened. Oh, you didn't tell me, did he die?" She asked daringly which piqued the attention of many Order members.

Ron's head lowered ashamedly at the floor.

"You're despicable. How can you live with yourself? I can't believe you let them…" She paused for a moment in an attempt to slow her shallower breathing but it wasn't working and she could feel the tears building behind her eyes. His very daughter was sitting in this room and Ron had the audacity to keep quiet about the fact that he let her father die. Her head was spinning and so she crashed out of the room in an attempt to get away.

She was sure she was going to throw up and each member of the Order was incredibly confused as to Hermione's behaviour. No doubt one year off record would have changed her but there was something that she wasn't telling them and only Harry and Ron knew what that was. All eyes in the room turned to Ron who shrugged his shoulders and went back to talking with the twins but Draco however was disturbed by her change in character.

He noticed how she had clenched her fists and ground her teeth and he knew the feeling incredibly well. He didn't like it, the Gryffindor Princess had never lost her temper to that magnitude before, and she had broken down right before their eyes. He stood up quickly and excused himself. He didn't exactly know _why_ he was running after the Golden Girl but all he knew was that one year ago she saved him from himself, she brought him out and helped make him a better person and so he wasn't going to sit and watch her do the same.

She paced back and forth in the garden of Grimmauld Place in front of the small, neglected lily pond. She couldn't believe that Harry and Ron could just sit there and chat away with Tonks like they hadn't just stood by silently and watched her Father be murdered by Lucius Malfoy. She wanted to scream in frustration but bit her tongue to the extent where she could taste the metallic trickle swamping her mouth. She slumped down under the willow tree and fiercely clawed at the grass, crushing it in her small fists.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. In the space of a year they were supposed to have found all of the Horcruxes. Tom Riddle, or _The Master,_ was supposed to have been dead by now or dying at least but he wasn't. He was far from it. They were just lucky he hadn't suspected anything yet and hunted them down. Of course they had their next lead as to where the last Horcrux might be, but it came at the cost of a life and it unsettled Hermione.

_Pull yourself together you stupid girl. You're going to attract unwanted attention and then where will you be?_ She scolded herself before standing up and brushing herself off. She was going to go back to her bedroom and try and sleep off some of this God awful regret that she felt gnawing at her soul. She stood up and made for the back door pushing it open forcefully. She gasped as the door swung and hit Draco Malfoy on the other side.

"Oh Merlin, I am _so_ sorry. Are you alright?" She said alarmingly. He staggered backwards and clutched his nose before laughing heartily at the ridiculousness of the worry in her voice. Her eyes widened at his odd reaction and as she looked at him she noted that the similarities between him and his father were uncanny and it made her shiver involuntarily. She may as well have opened a door on Lucius Malfoy instead. She hadn't heard him laugh like this ever, of course she had heard his snickering back at Hogwarts but nothing like this and he had a beautiful laugh. She giggled a little at him and felt all her anger and hatred wash away quickly.

After a few minutes he stopped laughing and clutched his side in agony as he tried to regain his breath and composure.

"Why was that even funny?" He asked himself and she giggled again.

"I have absolutely no idea." She replied. "But, I'm sorry I hit you with a door."

"Think nothing of it, I'm fine." He muttered. "What were you doing outside?"

Her smile dropped as everything flooded back to her again and she felt a scowl creep across her face.

"Don't do that." He urged.

"Do what?"

"Glower like that, it ruins your face." He pointed out. "Want to tell me what's wrong?"

"And why would I do that?"

"Because I'm an _amazing_ listener." He exaggerated.

"Ask Harry, or Ron for that matter. I'm sure they'll tell you." Her face darkened as she swerved around him and headed for the stairs as quickly as she could. He wasn't going to allow her to get away so easily.

"Granger!" He called urgently and she whizzed around. As soon as he gained eye contact he plunged into her mind and began sifting through her most recent memories. He almost pitied her because she had next to no defences at all and he could easily see past them, he stumbled upon her most recent memory and watched it in horror, the flash of familiar platinum hair enraged him as he watched him preparing to kill Ted Tonks. He withdrew from her mind quickly.

She felt his withdrawal and marched up to him, angry that her would breach her defences and dig into her mind like that. She drew back her hand and was about to hit him across the face but he caught her wrist quickly. She was so frustrated, and angry that she slumped down and the last of her resolve vanished and she cried.

"They wouldn't let me stop it." She whispered. "I could have stopped it, he could be alive still." She buried her face into his shoulder, embarrassed at her weakness and tears, he placed his arms around her knowing best not to say anything and leave her to vent although he couldn't see the silent tears slipping down her cheeks.

"You had no right to pilfer through my mind like that. Please don't do it again." She steeled herself and pushed away from him, remembering who he was.

"You did hit me in the face with a door, so I guess we're equal?" He asked hopefully and he could see the corner of her lips twitch a little and so he smiled in return.

"You should smile more often." She said randomly before escaping from the room leaving him to ponder. That was probably one of the strangest encounters she had ever had in her entire life and she was pretty sure she had felt almost every emotion on the spectrum within the space of those few minutes. She really was sorry she hit him in the face with a door but at least he was nice about it, but then again he forced himself into her head and she didn't like the idea of messing with free will so maybe she wasn't sorry after all.

OOO

A short while later, Dumbledore summoned everybody back to the old kitchen table, Hermione took her usual chair and it felt so odd to be sitting back there as if no time had passed at all since she had last sat here but so much had changed since then. A few members of the Order simply couldn't attend meetings anymore since the Death Eaters had started hunting down Muggle-Borns and the Order were striving to stop that quickly before it escalated but the Order were losing and the Death Eaters were still oblivious to the fact that they were winning. Kingsley was slowly losing his influence within the Ministry and he still hadn't managed to get into the Minister's inner circle and so the Order's influence there was next to nothing but on the plus side, there weren't any _known_ Death Eaters in there either. Nobody had heard from the Order's own spy, Snape in a long while and he was no longer feeding information back to the Order and to top it off there was still a Horcrux out there. The Order was at its very lowest and it was this revelation that led to Dumbledore considering Hermione's thoughts on this cave.

"Now, I can't tell you what to expect once you get inside this cave, but I can only imagine it will be full of dark magic." Dumbledore warned Harry.

"Well if there is, I'll take it as a good sign, it means he's hiding something. Right?" Harry replied.

Sirius huffed in the corner, he hated it when people spoke of dark magic like it was a bad thing. Of course it wasn't used for the best intentions but in fact dark magic could seriously help the Order in its endeavours, if only Dumbledore would realise this. Sirius was in fact trained in the dark arts from a young age by his Father and he found it quite useful during battles because it lessened the need for Unforgivables, unlike the rest of the Order who, once enraged would Avada every wizard wearing black robes.

"Miss Granger, Mr Weasley, I would prefer that you don't accompany Mr Potter in this task." Dumbledore spoke up. In reality, Dumbledore thought that the two wouldn't be needed on this adventure and would probably only hinder Harry's progress. Hermione was relieved, she didn't want to go at all, not after the stunt the two boys had pulled on their last task, besides she had only just returned, it would be nice to have a few days where she wasn't in mortal peril after all. Ron on the other hand, didn't take the news so well.

"How can you even ask that!? Me and Hermione _always_ go with Harry! You can't just kick us out now!" He protested

"There was no offense intended however I think it would be beneficial if Harry accompanied someone with a better understanding of Dark Magic. Sirius, perhaps?" Dumbledore shot a look at Sirius that told him not to go against Dumbledore's wishes. He wouldn't anyway because in all honesty he wanted to keep his godson safe from all harm. He may not be the subject of the prophecy but he was still like a son to Sirius and so nobody would hurt Harry on his watch.

"Of course, Albus. Whatever you wish." Sirius replied before absent-mindedly twirling his moustache between his fingers.

"It's settled then, you will leave in the morning." Dumbledore announced.

"Forgive me, but didn't Harry only _just_ come back from the last mission which took us a year?" Hermione asked challengingly.

"But any additional time and the Death Eaters may move the object in question." He replied and she huffed, annoyed. "Now I must speak with Harry. Alone." Dumbledore proclaimed and everybody stood quickly and left. Hermione was angry again, how dare he talk across her in such a way? How dare he make out like the past year that she had been suffering in a tent in the middle of nowhere was all for naught?

Draco who hadn't been in the meeting, noticed the raging fire burning in her eyes as she pushed everyone out of the way and stormed to her room. It was a side to her that she hadn't let him see before and he wasn't sure if he liked it too much. Of course she was cute when she got angry but at the same time she could be bloody scary and threatening. He heard her bedroom door slam and cringed as the noise echoed throughout the house sending the portraits into madness.

Sirius strolled over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Fancy a duel in the garden? For old times' sake." Sirius asked and Draco was more than happy to oblige. He took his wand out of his sleeve and followed Sirius through the halls and out into the moonlit garden. It looked quite eerie with the overgrown blades of grass blanketing the ground, they were long enough to hide a person in fact and Draco couldn't believe he had been in this very garden only a few hours ago.

"Anything new to teach me?" Draco prompted.

"How do you feel about learning dark magic?" Sirius asked randomly. He was going to teach Draco _everything_ he knew because it would make him more powerful, besides he would use it for good purposes and he was sure of it.

"You know dark magic?" Draco asked astounded.

"Yes, when you grow up in the house of Black, it would be considered ludicrous not to teach your children the dark arts." Sirius laughed.

"I value everything you teach me, if you see fit for me to learn dark magic then I will learn dark magic."

"I was hoping you'd agree. You see Draco, dark magic is only dark when used for evil intentions. It can be used for good, but people like Dumbledore are blind to it, he refuses to open up and accept it because he is single minded. People like you and I, are not and appreciate the knowledge."

"Have you taught Potter any of this?" Draco asked curiously.

"No boy, are you mad? He's too close to Dumbledore, even though I care for him greatly I don't trust him not to tell Dumbledore these kinds of things. Besides, his magical core isn't strong enough yet."

"Magical core?"

"It's your inner magical reserve, when you practice magic, you drain it. It's the thing that powers your aura, I've told you all about that I'm sure? You for example, have a very distinctive magical aura about you eluding to the fact that you have a powerful core so dark magic should be easier for you to practice since it takes up more of your magic."

"So what happens if you overexert yourself?"

Sirius toyed with his wand. "When your magical core is depleted, it means you can't use any more magic until it is restored which takes a while. It leaves a wizard feeling weak and tired which is why it is important not to use too much of it because you'll be left vulnerable. Like when you overpowered Harry on his last training session, you were new to your magical potential and your rage and display of power overwhelmed you. With my training we have strengthened it, call it body building." Sirius smirked.

"How long does it take to restore?"

"Usually, depending on how much magical energy you have left it takes a few hours but you will probably end up unconscious or sleeping since it's one of the fastest ways of regeneration."

"What other ways are there?" Draco asked, intrigued.

"This is where the dark arts come in." Sirius grinned. "There is a spell that I once heard of that was created by Morgana herself which drains the magical core of a victim to replenish the users own energy so effectively, it leeches energy. If used too powerfully it can kill a target but the user can determine how much energy to withdraw."

"Can you teach me?" Draco asked enthusiastically.

"Oh Draco, I wouldn't be telling you about it if I didn't intend to teach you!" He withdrew his wand. "Now, I shall show you how it's done but you will have to sacrifice a little magic for me and then when you are confident, you can steal it back." Sirius grinned. He pointed his wand at Draco who nodded at him, he trusted Sirius not to harm him too badly.

"_Potentia Exhauriebat_" Sirius whispered.

Draco felt like there were invisible claws seeping their way into his body and crawling toward his chest where his main magical reserve was. He could feel the magic being ripped from every cell as the golden light streamed from his own body into Sirius' wand which channelled it to Sirius himself. Draco was growing weaker by the second and understood why it was labelled as dark magic after all. Sirius saw that Draco was struggling and so called off his assault leaving Draco panting and weak whilst Sirius felt his fingers buzzing with energy and his blood rushing with magic.

Draco regained his breath and looked up at Sirius.

"I've never seen that before. It's brilliant." Draco gasped

"It's quite easy to learn, you need no mental preparation but what you do need is a strong core. It takes a fair amount of energy to cast the spell but it all gets replenished if all goes well. Want to try?"

Draco nodded as he clutched his wand.

"Channel your magic to your hands not your wand, your wand will simply be the tunnel. Oh, and Draco? Try not to kill me if you can help it, I do value the pitiful existence that I call a life."

Draco laughed slightly and pointed his wand at his mentor.

"_Potentia Exhauriebat_"

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(_A/N: Potentia Exhauriebat is Latin for Power Drain, I couldn't come up with anything better so sorry for my lack of creativity on this one!)_

_Also the part about Magical Cores plays an important role later on in the story, if its a little confusing, don't hesitate to drop me a message. _


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, you're going to hate me for this but there is a character death in this scene. _

* * *

**_Chapter VII_**

Draco stomped down the hall towards the lounge where he pounded on the door.

"Enter." Came Sirius' reply from the other side. Draco yanked open the door to reveal Sirius admiring the Black family tree on the walls. His eyes traced the branches of the tree until he found his own miniature portrait. He wasn't hard to spot because of his own striking blonde hair, his eyes didn't linger for too long on himself but traced the branch upwards to find his Mother and his anger melted.

He hadn't seen his Mother since the Christmas of his Sixth Year, so almost two years and it was too long to be away from her. He sorely missed his Mother and wanted nothing more than to rescue her from his Father's evil clutches, just like she had done for him when he was a boy. His Father would lock him in the cellar for being an impertinent child and had condemned him to a whole night in there. He was scared of the dark more than anything at the tender age of five and so he sat and wept, he was hungry, cold and scared until his Mother had broken out of her bedroom and freed him from the cellar, she had embraced him with such a ferocity and protectiveness that he couldn't possibly doubt her affection for him again.

But now, when she was trapped, and she was scared he was nowhere to be found, in fact she believed him to be dead because everyone outside the Order thought the great Draco Malfoy to have died since nobody outside the Order had seen him for over a year. He raised a hand and traced the outline of Narcissa's face on the wall, wishing he could see her again and tell her he was sorry for abandoning her, thank her for saving him before it was too late.

He looked over to where Sirius should be but all that could be seen was a black smudge where he had been burnt off and disowned. Then Draco remembered why he was here and his anger returned, he whipped his hand back from the wall and turned to face Sirius who looked at him confusedly.

"Were you going to tell me you were leaving?" He demanded.

"Oh boy, I knew this was coming." Sirius sighed. "Dumbledore wishes me to go Draco, I have more knowledge on the dark arts than anybody else in the Order and so it would be wisest to have me accompany Harry."

"Then at least let me come with you! You can't deny that I'm not ready yet, we've trained for a year now and even you said that I've improved. I haven't done anything for the Order yet for me to prove my trust to them so let me come with you."

Sirius shook his head. "Draco, I won't put you in unnecessary danger."

"It won't be unnecessary, there's supposed to be a Horcrux there, right?The last one."

"Draco. There's more to it than that. We have no idea what will await us in that cave but it won't be pretty, you're too valuable an asset to be lost. You are destined for things greater than this, you just don't know it, and for that reason we don't want to alert the Death Eaters that we have you and that you're alive."

"You mean there's going to be Death Eaters there?"

"We're unsure yet but I won't put you at risk, I'm there to protect and aid Harry if I have two of you to worry about then I will get distracted. You need to stay here and you can prepare for our lesson later, I want to see you cast that spell by a simple touch before we move onto better things."

Draco sighed. "I wish you'd still let me go with you."

"This isn't open for a debate, the Order don't want to alert anybody of our association with the Horcruxes, nor do they want to risk exposing you just yet and I agree with them." Sirius said sternly and Draco's gaze dropped to the floor in defeat. Sirius placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, your time to shine will come soon enough, we've just got to get you ready for it."

"But I am ready."

"Not yet." Sirius whispered as he shook his head slowly. "Not yet."

OOO

The Order escorted Sirius and Harry out into the garden where they would proceed to fly on their brooms to the cave which Lucius Malfoy had mentioned briefly. Dumbledore was still sure later that morning when the two had gone for a final briefing with him that there would be nothing there but Sirius trusted Hermione's judgement and if she thought there might be something waiting for them there, then there would be.

Dumbledore had shown the two of them where he thought the cave was through his memories in the pensieve however he had warned them that there might be wards that neither of them could detect if in fact there was something hidden there and so the two had decided it best to fly by broom instead of opting for apparation.

Dumbledore had bid them good luck in private before leaving the rest of the Order the task of seeing them off. It was early evening now and the sky was tinged with pink and orange as the sun descended over the horizon. The two bid their goodbyes to everybody and Sirius was overjoyed to see Harry even shake hands with Draco upon their parting, it had taken a long time but the two were on the road to friendship now.

Sirius and Harry mounted their brooms, each owned a Firebolt whose speed would significantly reduce the time of their journey and the Order gave a cheer from behind them and there were several shouts of good luck as they kicked off the ground and ascended into the sky. Harry cast a quick disillusionment charm since there were no clouds to cover them and for a while he felt free, which is something he hadn't felt in a long while.

He could enjoy the wind whipping across his face as flew beside his godfather, the closest thing he had to his parents, the man he hadn't seen in over a year now and just flying in silence together as they watched England pass beneath them was enough for Harry.

They flew for over an hour, skirting the coasts until Sirius could see the wards, another skill he had managed to acquire upon his return from Azkaban. They were very faint meaning whoever had cast them had cast them well, they were almost undetectable, but not to Sirius. He called out to Harry and they landed their brooms on a rock out in the sea which was just a little way out of the wards.

Because of the translucency of the wards, Sirius couldn't tell which wards were actually cast around the cave but whichever wards they were, they had merged together to create a very pale violet looking dome around the cave which was almost see-through to Sirius. Harry of course could see nothing, but as always he trusted Sirius judgement.

"Partis Temporus" Sirius muttered after drawing out his wand. He had modified the spell slightly so that it caused a little split in the wards for a little while to allow them to pass in and out of them unharmed. It was times like this he was glad his Father taught him the dark arts. He took Harry's hand and apparated from the desolate rock to the ledge that was the entrance of the cave.

If Voldemort was going to hide a Horcrux anywhere then this would be one of the best places to hide it. It was completely desolate and there wasn't any civilisation for a few miles radius. The cave practically reeked of dark magic, it was dark, damp and desolate, a setting a Muggle child might conjure up in a nightmare.

"Stay close to me Harry, I don't want anything happening to you." Sirius warned as he pushed Harry behind him before cautiously picking his way through the cave. He silently illuminated his wand to try and break the dense darkness of the cave but even a _Lumos Maxima_ could light up the darkest corners which only added to the dreariness of the cave.

Before long, Sirius' wand lit up a rock wall which prevented them from going any further. Harry was puzzled and used his own wand and walked about the cave slowly checking for any other crevice that they might find which could offer them an alternate route, only to find there were none. Sirius concentrated hard on the wall in front of him, hesitantly he raised a hand and swept his fingers across the jagged edge of the rock to see a slight ripple.

He squinted and tried it again, running his hands all over the rock of the wall frantically, trying to catch sight of another ripple of magic and was relieved when his eye caught sight of another small ripple of magic coloured a deep burgundy which meant only one thing, blood magic. His eyes widened with the realisation and he began frantically palming his coat pockets until he traced the familiar handle of his dagger, he whipped it out of his pocket and clasped his other hand around the blade tightly and dragged the blade out of his grasp creating a deep slash across his palm.

Harry whizzed around when he heard the blade sing and Sirius' flesh tear and saw Sirius squeeze the inflamed skin around the gash to draw a sufficient amount of blood quicker, enough so it was streaming down his wrist and soiling the green velvet sleeves of his jacket. Taking his mutilated hand carefully he swiped it across the rock wall before him leaving a trail of crimson behind it. The blood left behind gathered together to form a little stream that trickled down the rock which activated the magic placed upon it. The walls began to rumble and the ground began to shake. Sirius grabbed Harry's jacket shoulder with his unhurt hand and dragged him back as the rock wall before them began to crumble, slowly revealing an underground cavern most of which was dominated by the green, murky lake but in the distance there was a small island upon which sat a silver basin.

The two illuminated their wands again and Sirius scanned the cavern looking for any traces of magic that might help them out in the slightest.

"Sirius? Your hand…" Harry said as he looked worriedly at the constant stream of crimson dribbling down Sirius' fingers.

Sirius rolled his eyes and held out his hand and lowered his wand. "_Ferula."_ He murmured and from his wand sprung a bandage which coiled itself around the wound applying the right amount of pressure to hinder the bleeding. Harry visibly slackened and took a step forward towards the water's edge. "Harry, don't move!" Sirius warned and Harry whizzed around and checked for any sign of movement, when he didn't see any he looked puzzled at Sirius who was staring into the water.

Sirius could see them all through the water, the dark magic buzzing around them like flies on a honeypot. They writhed and squirmed about each other on the river bed, their gaunt and destroyed bodies of the Inferi were just begging for an excuse to eat Harry and Sirius away. Sirius didn't want to panic Harry and so he swallowed his fear. "Inferi in the water, don't go near it." Sirius couldn't help but ponder upon the fact that the bodies of people he knew were down there. _What if James and Lily were down there?_ He shuddered at the thought as rickety old boat slowly parted the water with its bow and headed straight towards them.

Sirius stepped into the boat being careful not to disrupt the water about him in fear of the lurking Inferi around them and held out a hand to Harry to help him aboard the boat. They sat down wearily as the boat slowly skimmed atop the water without making the water as much as ripple or splash. The silence was almost as compressing as the darkness and Sirius didn't like the uneasy feeling he was getting as he scanned the cavern constantly for any signs of magic. It was just too easy.

When the boat crashed into the island in the middle of the lake, they hastily got off and approached the basin in the centre. Harry peered in to see the shimmering of a locket beneath a clear and odourless liquid.

"Accio Horcrux." He muttered but to his dismay, the locket didn't budge. So he tried to simply grab it with his hand, it plunged into the liquid but came to a barrier when he was only a few inches away from the locket glistening in the basin. He pulled back his hand and was confused to find it didn't have a single droplet of the liquid upon it; in fact his hand was bone dry.

"It has to be drunk!" Sirius exclaimed as he eyed the shell perched on the edge of the basin.

"But Sirius, we don't know what this is!" Harry protested.

"No, we don't and I don't suspect it's a particularly nice concoction either considering which is why you will not be drinking it." Sirius said sternly. "Now hand me that shell Harry."

Harry's hands which were firmly grasped around the shell drew back as far away from Sirius as he could, he refused to let his godfather drink the brew before him since he was so uncertain about it. How did he know it wouldn't cause instant death because after all, that was what Tom was like, he would do something like that and Harry wasn't going to sit by and watch it happen. Instead, he plunged the shell into the liquid and watched as the liquid filled the dip in the shell and raised it to his lips. He closed his eyes but when he had opened them, Sirius had already snatched the shell and had his head back as he drained it of the liquid.

He dropped the shell instantly liquid burnt his oesophagus and all the way down to his stomach, he clutched his throat in agony and closed his eyes. Before he lost control he looked at Harry. "You will make me finish it, even if I beg you not to you must make me drink it." Sirius rasped and Harry who was powerless nodded his head.

He refilled the shell and pressed it to Sirius' lips as he forced himself to drink its contents but the burning only got worse and the hallucinations had begun. Harry watched in horror as his godfather began to emit cries of anguish with each sip of the potion he took. He had clamped his hands over his ears and was shaking his head violently shouting to nobody in particular, Harry steeled himself and forced another mouthful down Sirius throat as he shook his head wildly and sobbed.

"Gods! Kill me!" Sirius screamed. "Anything but this, just put me out of my misery!" He had tried to contain his screams and cries for Harry's sake, knowing it would only tear him apart but as soon as the next dose of the potion blistered away in his throat planting more images in his mind his determination dissipated.

After another 5 shells full of the potion, Sirius was finally done and the potion had been drained from the basin. Sirius hallucinations had subsided but he was weak and it didn't take a fool to see it, there was another burning in the back of his throat and his mouth was coarse, it felt as though he had been sucking on sandpaper and he needed water desperately but he daren't ask, knowing Harry felt guilty enough.

He shakily got to his feet with Harry's help and stumbled over to the basin where he thrust his hand in and felt the chain of the locket slipping through his fingers. They had finally found it, the Horcrux they had been looking for and a little bit of pain on Sirius' behalf was a willing sacrifice for it. He smiled triumphantly and turned to Harry but his smile instantly dropped when he saw Harry squirming on the floor, bound by an _Incarcerous._

Sirius quickly worked on freeing his godson from the bounds but as soon as he was released, his eyes widened and Harry shouted but it was too late and the dagger that had been in Sirius' pocket had been plunged into his back. Sirius staggered forward, already weak from the potion and turned around to see his deranged cousin Bellatrix and was surprised to see Narcissa next to her.

Bellatrix grinned devilishly and swiped the locket out of Sirius weakened grip as he struggled to keep it from her. "No!" Sirius breathed before a coughing fit took over and he spluttered whilst throwing himself at his cousin, trying to regain possession of the locket but as he reached her she had already tossed it to Narcissa who looked at him with eyes full of regret.

"Take it Cissy. Go!" Bellatrix hissed. "Inky!" As soon as the words had escaped her lips the crack of apparation sounded and a house elf flashed before their eyes, took Narcissa's hand and disapparated within an instant along with the locket that Harry and Sirius had worked so hard to obtain.

Harry lunged at her, his eyes filled with hatred and rage but she easily side stepped his assault and turned back to Sirius with an evil glint in her eye. She raised her wand and began to battle with her cousin, their spells collided but Bellatrix's easily overpowered Sirius' who was still incredibly weak from his ordeal and so his defence was significantly weakening. She disarmed him quickly and so he resulted to brute strength and lunged at her sending them both clattering to the rocky ground. She tried to scramble away from him towards her wand but changed her mind quickly and leapt back towards Sirius sinking her claw like fingernails into his neck and holding his head down towards the water.

Harry by this time had his wand pointed at her but his heart dropped when he caught sight of them. She turned to face him and slipped her tongue between her teeth and smiled a wicked grin, Harry's eyes widened as she thrust Sirius' head an inch closer to the water's surface.

"Drop your wand Potter, or say goodbye to your Godfather." She threatened and Harry didn't even have to think about his decision and so he placed his wand on the ground below him. "Kick it into the water." She demanded.

"No Harry!" Sirius rasped.

"Sirius, I can't let you die!" Harry cried out in protest.

"Listen Harry." Sirius started but Bellatrix cut him off and thrust his head even lower so Sirius resulted to speaking to Harry through Legilimency, he knew he wasn't going to survive this, his blood loss was already significant and his vision was blackening.

"_Harry, I want you to promise me that you will not do anything reckless and save yourself. Tell the Order I am sorry for my failure and promise me that you will watch over Draco in the Order, finish what I set out to do." _

Anger seeped through Harry and he picked up his wand again. "Diffindo!" He screeched and Bellatrix recoiled immediately, pushing Sirius' head beneath the surface in a frantic attempt to scramble away from the spell being sent her way. The spell grazed her arm, slicing it open and the blood began to pour as the Inferi who had been provoked by Sirius began to scramble up towards the island.

Bellatrix took shelter behind the basic and lunged at her wand before shooting up leaving herself vulnerable. She didn't hesitate to cast the final spell. "Avada Kedavra!" The green light shot towards Sirius and he staggered backwards before falling limp onto the rock. Harry's eyes widened as he saw Sirius' form lying lifeless on the rock. His eyes narrowed. His heart pounded. His blood boiled. Forgetting about his wand in a fit of rage he lunged with an almighty force at Bellatrix who was caught off guard in a moment of sadistic delight and he pushed her over the edge and into the water where the hungry Inferi waited.

Her shrill screams didn't affect Harry in the least as the Inferi gnawed at her skin and clawed at her clothes before finally dragging her beneath the water. Harry rushed over to Sirius who wasn't responding in the least and then he recalled that House Elves could apparate in and out of the cave.

"Kreacher!" The elf appeared before him quickly and seeing the state of his Master he took hold of them both and promptly disapparated.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, long time no see. It's my fault, I know. I'm a horrible person for making you all wait so long but I've got exams paired with a horrible bout of writers block recently and I'm only managing a couple of hundred words per session so things aren't going too good. I'm thinking too much about the later chapters which distract me from these ones! Urgh, it's frustrating! Well anyway, enjoy the next update._

* * *

**_Chapter VIII_**

The silence in Grimmauld Place was tense, you could have cut it easily with a slicing spell as the Order anxiously awaited the return of Sirius and Harry. They knew not where they had gone with the exception of Dumbledore and Hermione but they all knew for a fact that wherever it was, it was somewhere dangerous.

Many of the adults had already retired for the night, they unlike the younger members of the Order were certain everything would go well, because the Order would always succeed as they were fighting for the good of the people and the freedom of the magical race so surely they must do well? That is what they had convinced themselves to believe and it was the only thing that let them put their heads down at night and actually catch a few winks of sleep.

Hermione however was restless in her room. Ginny, on the other side of the room in her bed was snoring loudly and was sleeping like a log whilst Hermione sat nervously perched on the edge of her bed. She had tried to put her head to the pillow and get some sleep but she simply couldn't, she had too much on her mind at this moment and so she had sat up and took out her pearl rosary beads and began to thread them through her fingers as she mulled things over in her head.

It was nice to know she had _someone_ to talk to, even if God didn't reply at least he was a good listener, and if he didn't exist well…at least the empty silence of the room was listening to her troubled thoughts. If all went well they would hopefully have another Horcrux by the end of the night and it would be destroyed very soon after, but things didn't always work out as hoped but Hermione prayed that this time they would.

Little did she know that down the hall Draco was just as agitated as she was and was pacing back and forth frantically in his room anxiously awaiting Sirius and Harry's return. In all honesty he worried more for Sirius than Harry since Sirius had become a big part of his life now, he had taken him under his wing and taught him things he could never dream of learning, the most important being when Sirius taught him how to become a better person and let go of the anger that fuelled his power. He had told him that although rage could boost his magic, it was a destructive emotion because anger led to hate and hate would damped a person's morality it was the path that _The Master_ had taken and Draco didn't want to fall into that trap.

He was interrupted by the sound of the distinctive 'pop' of apparation downstairs which seemed to echo throughout the house. Draco had bounded across his bedroom in a few short strides before he heard the pained, anguished cry from downstairs which raised the hairs on the back of his neck. He wrenched the door open and began to tumble down the stairs with his wand in hand expecting to find an intruder of some sorts. He could hear the banging and crashing upstairs as the rest of the Order were roused as he ran into the lounge.

The light from his wand wasn't too bright, but it was bright enough to illuminate the scene before him. His heart stopped when he saw Harry crouching over Sirius who was on the floor, he was quietly sobbing as he clutched onto the lapels of Sirius' velvet jacket. He peered over Harry's shoulder and instantly wished he hadn't. Sirius' body wasn't stirring at all and as soon as Draco saw that Sirius' eyes were fixed upon the ceiling, void of any light he knew that the worst had in fact happened.

The rest of the Order were swarming about Sirius on the floor, desperately trying to pull Harry away from him but he wouldn't let go as he cried noisily into his Godfather's jacket whilst Ginny cradled him from behind, stroking his hair softly though it was of little comfort to him. Lupin didn't say anything but stood rigid as he stared at Sirius, his face had been drained of all colour and he couldn't overcome the fact that his last childhood friend had been snatched from him. He was the last Marauder left.

Hermione was at a loss. She couldn't fathom not listening to Sirius' cheerful banter as he tried to make light of things when disagreements broke out in the Order meetings. She would never again hear his grumbling at the breakfast table as he complained of a hangover. She wouldn't see him twiddling his moustache in amusement when one of Fred and George's pranks were successful but worst of all, she no longer had the man she considered to be her second father. Sirius had been the one to help her overcome the departure of her parents, he was the one who convinced her it would be okay. She was his 'poppet' no longer because he was gone.

She wouldn't cry. Not in front of them, she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her come undone. She watched the grief unfolding before her eyes as each member of the Order clung to one another as they tried to battle their own grief and then she realised that now more than ever, she was completely and utterly alone. Sirius had been the one she had shared her grief with because she felt easy around him, he was like a father, or a protective big brother and she no longer had that now.

She felt the tears burning in the back of her eyes and she berated herself inwardly for her pitiable weakness. She could no longer battle the impulsive urge to fall to her knees and weep and so she turned on her shaky legs and crashed out of the door. The harsh reality was settling down upon her, Sirius was gone. Dead. And he wasn't coming back. She tumbled out into the garden and the cool night air pinched her exposed skin beneath her negligée but she didn't care, the physical pain took away the emotional pain that was gnawing away at her. She cast a silencing charm promptly with her wand before turning her head up to the stars and screamed a guttural cry.

She had thought nobody had noticed her back in the lounge. She had though nobody could possibly understand the anguish she was experiencing inside her mind. She had thought wrong. Draco had watched as she had bounded into the lounge and steadied herself on the doorway, he eyes which were full of panic soon glistened as the brown orbs began drowning in unshed tears. He had watched her face pale as the realisation hit before she tried to steel herself and appear impartial and strong but he had seen right through her little act and had quickly followed her as she had stumbled out of the house and into the garden.

He stayed in the shadows and was just within the boundaries of the silencing charm she had cast around herself as she screamed out her grief. He had watched in fascination as the Hermione Granger he knew, the calm and collected Hermione Granger disappeared and she had fallen apart before him. She had screamed out into the emptiness of the night until her voice was hoarse and her throat was sore but she didn't stop there, she had wept and mumbled incoherently to the sky before filling with rage.

Her chest was heaving violently as she clenched her fists by her side. She quickly raised them to her head and began tugging at her hair as she screamed again in frustration she opened her eyes and began pummelling the trunk of the willow tree furiously. This is when Draco decided to make his presence known, initially he thought it best to leave her to vent but seeing her destroy herself like this changed his mind quickly. He swept silently across the grass wiping away the remnants of his own tears and as she pulled back her small clenched fists, he clamped them into his own hands to stop her from hitting the tree again.

She turned quickly feeling the contact and was staring directly up into the glossy eyes of Draco Malfoy. _Why was it always him who was there to witness my undoing? _She asked herself. Initially, she tried to struggle from his grip but he wouldn't let her go and being only a small woman, she stood no chance against him. When the last of the struggle had left her, he brought down her hands in front of his face and began to examine all of the little gashes across her knuckles which had resulted from her little battle with the willow tree.

"Why'd he have to die?" She whispered, more to herself than Draco as a new coating of tears blurred her vision temporarily. The pain reflected in her voice mirrored the hurt that he was feeling too, and he realised he might just understand the little Gryffindor Princess more than he dared hope. He didn't want to see her crying, it hurt him to see her distraught like this and so he too lost the last shed of his own self-control and his own silent tears trickled down his cheeks.

She looked up to see that his brow was furrowed, his eyes were closed but still the tears leaked out from beneath his lashes and she realised how self-absorbed she was actually being. Sirius meant a lot to all of the Order not just her and he probably meant as much to Draco as what he did to her, after all he was the one who rescued him from himself that night of the Astronomy Tower, he had taken Draco under his wing and welcomed him into the Order with open arms even when others shunned him for doing so. He had spent a whole year away with Sirius as he had trained and mentored him so in fact, Sirius probably meant more to Draco than he did Hermione.

In his moment of weakness, he had loosened his grip around her wrists because he simply didn't care now. He was drowning in his own grief. She easily wriggled free from his grasp and proceeded to wipe away the tears which were collecting beneath his chin before pulling him into a much needed embrace. They were both grief-stricken and alone now without Sirius but they both found solace in this simple friendly gesture, a shoulder to cry on. He placed his arms gingerly on her back as she buried her face into his shirt, she was so delicate, fragile and pure that he couldn't help but feel like he shouldn't be touching her.

He felt her tears creating a wet patch on his shirt but he ignored it, blinded by his own tears. He rubbed her back up and down soothingly until she had cried herself out. By this time she was angry. Angry at herself for letting herself fall apart in the arms of someone who didn't know her at all, in fact, if he had caught her in this situation a few years previous, he would have taunted her and made her cry even more. She pushed him away quickly.

"Nobody is to hear about this." She said sternly, pointing a warning finger at him and he nodded dumbfounded at her sudden change in composure. She breathed a heavy sigh and fled back into the safety of her bedroom, away from prying eyes. For now, at least.

OOO

They couldn't give Sirius the funeral that he deserved because after all, he was still a wanted and convicted criminal in the eyes of the Ministry but only the Order knew of his innocence and it saddened many members of the Order that he would have to settle for such a meagre event with only themselves in attendance but with that being said, there wasn't really anybody else they could possibly have invited.

They really had wanted to bury him next to James and Lily in Godric's Hollow but it meant risking a public appearance for a few members of the Order who were wanted by the Death Eaters or in Draco's case, supposedly dead. Harry knew Sirius wouldn't want to be buried in the garden of Grimmauld Place and the Order agreed that Sirius deserved so much more than to be buried in the garden of a house that held so many negative childhood memories. It simply wasn't befitting.

Then Dumbledore suggested that they bury him at Hogwarts and everybody agreed quickly. He would have liked that. Hogwarts held so many happy memories for Sirius, where he and his best friends would stroll about its halls causing mischief, where they had not a single worry in the world except whether a teacher would catch them for one of their heinous pranks, or if Peeves decided on revenge.

They had decided upon a small island in the middle of the Black Lake which contained a small clearing which sprouted wildflowers in the summer months. It was surrounded by evergreens so that it looked completely innocent to anybody who wasn't standing nearby but from the gaps between each of the tree trunks there was a clear view of Hogwarts. This is where they buried him, and although Harry wished to keep Sirius' wand as a reminder, they buried that too with him upon his request. They all knew how crabby he got without his wand.

They watched as Harry levitated the coffin gradually into the ground with shaky hands. The cool morning air was accompanied by a dense fog that lingered about their feet, the weather seemed to be just as miserable as the Order on this morning in November. Many of the Order members were sobbing quietly into the shoulder of another comforting friend but not Hermione, she _refused_ to let herself fall apart again. She knew Sirius wouldn't want her to be upset but she couldn't help it, and so when the last of the dirt had filled the grave, Hermione planted a kiss on the tip of her two fingers and placed it on the stone that bore Sirius' name but the others didn't notice, blinded by their own grief.

_Well Sirius, at least you're free now. You're lucky I guess. No threats of the looming Death Eaters now eh? I bet heaven is nice, if it exists of course. Do you miss us as much as we miss you? Of course you don't, you probably pity us sad mortal sods, you're probably up there right now laughing at how sad we are over your death when in reality you couldn't be happier to be away from it all. Promise me something, when my time comes, will you be there for me? The idea of death always did scare me. Well, farewell Sirius. _Draco finished silently in his head as he opened his eyes to see the other members of the Order were getting ready to leave. Daylight would be upon them soon and they couldn't risk being caught so they cast the enchantments around the small island so that nobody would stumble upon it by mistake before disapparating back outside the boundaries of the wards that protected Grimmauld Place.

Now that they had finally moved past Sirius' departure, officially, they needed to settle down to the tasks at hand. Sirius was one of the leading members of the Order, he was always the one to devise the plots in that scheming brain of his, his advice would always be considered which is why the Order had been so willing to accept Draco quickly. Because it was Sirius who had told them too, if any other member had suggested it then things might not have gone down so well. Lupin, quite happily was ready to step in and fill Sirius' shoes because he had ideas that would hopefully have the Order win the war and so they all sat around the familiar dining table in the Grimmauld Place kitchens. It disheartened everyone to see one empty chair in between Draco and Harry.

"No!" Harry protested when Lupin started revealing his plan. "Sirius asked me to watch over Malfoy and do that I will. He's coming with me whether you like it or not."

Lupin raised an eyebrow at Harry. He couldn't help but curse his old friend avidly for ruining his plan once again. In all truth, Lupin still didn't trust Draco at all even if he was now distant family by marriage. He hadn't wanted Draco here in the first place and he certainly didn't want him here now but it seems the Order had taken quite a liking to him and with Harry's deathbed promise to Sirius, he knew that his efforts were futile.

"I will not back down Harry. This is the best course of action." Lupin growled.

"Well then, perhaps I won't be a part of your plan unless it involves Malfoy. I might not like it, but I made a promise and I _never_ go back on my promises. So, sorry to disappoint you but any new missions I am going on, Malfoy is coming with me. I'm just taking over from Sirius."

"We'll readdress this later." He hissed. "Now, as you all know, the Ministry is no man's land at the moment, we have no knowledge of any Death Eater influence which gives us a window of opportunity. We need a strong leader to fight for our cause, politically speaking, someone who will keep Fudge from straying into the Death Eater's clutches."

"Who do you suggest, Remus?" Arthur asked.

Lupin smirked knowingly. "Why, who better than to fight for our cause than our very own Miss Granger?"

The sound of chair legs scraping across the floor filled the room and Hermione stood up defiantly and glared at Lupin.

"You can't simply remove me from the fighting and strategy planning. Have you lost your mind?" She screamed at him however he was undeterred by her attempt at intimidation. He was going to have to play dirty to get her where he wanted her. He was angry with her, it was her fault.

"It was your suggestion that Sirius and Harry go to that cave, was it not?" He asked.

"Yes, but there was a Horcrux there."

"No, there was a trap waiting and the Horcrux is gone. It was the last one we needed!"

"That wasn't my fault, I saw an opportunity and I seized it. I wanted to go but nobody let me so don't blame this on me."

"It was your fault that they were baited. We have no need for you in combat anymore Hermione, without you will even out the numbers so the Ministry will be just fine. You will finish your NEWT's, and get your way to the Minster, we need a hold on him before the Death Eaters do."

She stood open mouthed at what she was hearing, she turned on her heel and marched out of the room. Nobody would tell her what to do because this girl wasn't going down without a fight.


	9. Chapter 9

___**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

___Hey guys, I know I'm a horrible horrible writer neglecting you guys for so long. In fact I really should be on my knees begging for forgiveness but the times are stressful with upcoming exams which aren't scheduled to finish until mid-June. Just to give you an idea of how hectic it is, I have four exams in one day so hopefully you can now see why I can't update as often as I'd like to. I haven't even written ahead another chapter so I'm digging into the reserves here all for you simply because I've neglected you for waaay too long and also because *cough* its my birthday today *cough*_

___I know you're all itching for Dramione interaction and I promise it will be worth the wait soon enough, just need to do a little more plot development before I throw them together but it will be soon! Love doesn't happen overnight you know. _

___Also one more thing, I have slightly altered the way the Ministry works just to suit my storyline. Basically the Minister doesn't hold all the power but has a group of advisers in his 'Cabinet' which consists of a group of witches/wizard of his choosing who he consults with regularly. _

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**___Chapter IX_**

_Two Years Later_

The threat of a full blown Wizarding War was looming and Hermione knew that it wouldn't be a very long time until something triggered it, it was inevitable now. The Death Eaters had started abducting and murdering Muggle-Borns. Well, in fact there were just many missing Muggle-Borns recently and it didn't take a genius to piece the puzzle together. At first Hermione had been scared when the Muggle-Borns started going missing but that was almost two years ago now since Sirius had died.

In that time, so much had happened in the Order. Hermione who had refused to go along with Lupin's plans for her had simply been cut out and she hated it, sitting around in Grimmauld Place not being able to do anything since she wasn't permitted to accompany anybody on any of their missions. Lupin didn't trust her after what had happened with the cave because he hadn't gotten over Sirius' death, even with the addition of his and Tonks' baby, Ted.

It seemed with the ever present threat of war, people had been in quite a rush to seize the day because in all honesty, they could have been dead by the next. Harry and Ginny had gotten married and had had their first child, James but life was hard for Ginny whenever Harry was away with Draco which seemed to be quite a lot of the time. Hermione didn't quite know how Ginny managed to be separated from him for so long and it broke her heart to hear Ginny staying up late at night crying into her pillow.

It had only taken a few weeks for Hermione to give in to Lupin, she had hated moping about in Grimmauld Place whilst everybody else was out doing the real work, getting hurt and risking their lives so the least she could do was fight their political battles for them. It's not like she wasn't knowledgeable of Wizarding politics, but she hated the idea of not being by Harry's side to fight with him like she was meant to do, but he had Draco for that now.

Hermione had quickly passed her NEWT's with flying colours and immediately entered the Ministry's youth program where she was joined unexpectedly by Justin Finch-Fletchley and Hermione had discovered he was very passionate about his views which she also shared about equality amongst all blood status' as well as knocking purebloods off their high horses for a change. Luckily for her, there was no evidence that she was a part of the Order and so she was left alone although people had their suspicions. After a few months, she, Justin and also Theo Nott who Hermione had had no interaction with during their time in the youth program had taken the Minister's interest and since he was drawn to Hermione's quick mind, Justin's ability to carefully think and consider each idea she came up with and Theo's ability as a confident and apt speaker.

Surprisingly enough, Theo actually shared views with Hermione and Justin about equality for Muggle-Borns but he was a little more touchy when it came to the views they had on Purebloods, he said that some families did need to be taught but that it wasn't every Pureblooded family that was discriminative, just a select few. The three had worked together as a unit in the program and they were the ones out of all the others which caught the Minister's attention so as soon as their program was over he requested that they become a part of the Ministry's own Cabinet which Lupin had immediately pushed Hermione into doing because after all, this was their goal and where she went, Justin and Theo followed her.

It didn't take her long to enjoy the job she was doing, Muggle politics had always been an interest of hers and when she gained enough influence she would definitely make some changes as to how things worked within Wizarding politics. However a her hopes were dashed when she discovered that there were also people within the Minister's Cabinet who supposedly had ties to the Death Eaters who had no doubt been placed here to whisper poison into the Minister's ear and naturally they were all for Pureblood supremacy.

They had balanced each other out in the Minister's favour. He wouldn't listen to any of Hermione's ideas because Yaxley and Thicknesse always opposed her ideas and vice versa so the Minster didn't know what to do since his Cabinet was divided on most matters. When the Muggle-Born disappearances began, the Minister was at his wits end, Hermione, Justin and Theo each thought that the Minister see to it that the matter is fully investigated however Yaxley and Thicknesse opposed the idea quickly telling the Minister that it might cause whoever was behind the attacks to target the Ministry instead and that there wasn't enough evidence to prove that it was an attack which targeted Muggle-Borns anyway.

Soon enough the disappearances began to pile up and the Public were beginning to have doubts in their Minister who couldn't decide who to side with. That's when the protesting began and it was too much for the Minister and he promptly resigned leaving the window open. Lupin had urged that Hermione run for office since with the Order having such a powerful figure at their disposal, they would win the upcoming war hands down however Hermione had different ideas. Theo was their speaker and so they pushed him forward as their candidate since he was a Pureblood which might attract more voters.

As can be guessed however, Pius was also running for office alongside Theo so the future of the Order was riding on their hope of securing the Ministry quickly before it fell into the hands of the Death Eaters and if that happened they were doomed. There was still a few months left until the election and unfortunately the Death Eaters' campaign was going better than the Order's which was shown by their superior amount of votes.

It was getting harder to secure votes for Theo. The Pureblood population despised Theo and labelled him a blood traitor for standing up for Muggle-Borns and so obviously their votes all went to Pius and his Pureblood supremacy ideals but it worked both ways, all the Muggle-Borns voted for Theo but it was the Half-Bloods that would have the deciding vote. Unfortunately for them, the Half-Bloods seemed to opt for Pureblood supremacy.

Since the Ministry hadn't been doing anything about the Muggle-Born disappearances, the Order took it upon themselves to investigate each case that was reported to the Ministry that was delivered to them through Hermione however not one of the Muggle-Borns had been found, despite the best efforts of most of the Order which could only lead to one conclusion. They were all dead.

She sighed loudly and balled up the letter that had not long been dropped at her desk through the floo. It was Ginny insisting that Hermione come to visit her at Grimmauld Place since it had been months since Hermione had actually checked back in with the Order, she had been too busy managing the campaign and trying to win Theo the election. She didn't have time to make silly visits, especially considering that she couldn't have an active role in the Order for publicities sake, if that fact got out it would be exploited by the opposition and their whole campaign would be in shambles.

She stared longingly at the picture of her and her parents propped up on her desktop. She wondered how they were getting on over in Australia, had they settled into the house? Had they made friends? Found new jobs? Perhaps even set up their own dental practice like they had always wanted to? It had been too long since she had hurriedly rushed them out of the country and into the safety of the Australian borders and she missed the comfort that real family provided since she was utterly alone now.

"Earth to Hermione!" Justin waved his hand frantically in front of her face. "Hey, you zoned out there for a little while. You alright?"

She exhaled deeply and massaged her temples. "Yeah, I guess so. The campaign is just getting to me, every single idea we've had has been upstaged by Thicknesse! I'm at my wits end here, Justin."

"Calm down my little lioness, we'll think of something and before you know it we'll have the election in the bag." He reassured her. "Why don't you take some time off? I mean, you've been working on this non-stop for weeks now. You've overexerted yourself, it's no wonder you can't come up with anything new."

"I can't take time off! It's time we can't afford, we have only two months left to convince the public to vote us in. I just wish I could make them understand that voting Thicknesse would be a disastrous mistake."

"Oh no, is she at it again? Hermione, we all know this but we can't flaunt the fact that they could be Death Eaters because it would just make us look like we were desperate to bring down the opposition. You and Justin wanted to fight fair, and I being the Slytherin of course have no problem, but if you do ever change your mind…" Theo grinned wickedly as he tossed a grape into the air and caught it in his mouth.

"No." She said firmly. "We need to look better than them but it's so darn impossible!" She groaned and thumped her head onto the desk. Justin and Theo winced at the noise the impact made before she gingerly lifted her head and rubbed it soothingly. "That hurt more than I expected it to." She muttered.

"Justin's right, you're not in the right state of mind. Any sense you did have a few minutes ago has been firmly knocked from your head!" Theo grinned. "Go home and take a long weekend, you never know something might pop into your head while you're away and we can discuss it more on Monday."

"But-" She protested.

"We're not children darling, we don't need constant supervision. Do you need us to throw you through the floo? My, that was a tongue twister and a half wasn't it?"

"Theo you're rambling." Justin mused.

"Not rambling my good man. I'm simply charismatic, why else would I be your candidate? Actually I could answer that one for you. I'm incredibly handsome-"

"Oh no, not this again. I'll go home, I swear, just not this!" Hermione laughed as she swivelled in her chair.

"What? You can't tell me you haven't noticed my rugged good looks?" He smirked devilishly.

"Perhaps I overlooked it. You do have to contend with Justin's classic boyish charm however." She teased and she could see from the corner of her eye Justin push out his chest triumphantly. Theo stared gobsmacked at Hermione for a moment as she grinned at him. "Gentlemen, I take my leave. Remember though, think up ideas over the weekend, we don't want Thicknesse to win."

"I gathered that considering he's the leader of the opposition." Theo retorted and Justin punched his arm playfully.

"I'll see you Monday." She promised as she stepped into the floo and was overcome by the green flames. When they had dispersed, she stepped into the house which once belonged to her parents but it had changed much since then. She had remodelled it so it wouldn't remind her of the pain so much whenever she walked through its halls. It was a horrible feeling, knowing they were there but not being able to talk to them or even write to them. She shook her head and refused to think of it since it only provoked the clenching feeling in her heart which led to tears.

She shrugged her purse off her shoulder and flung it onto the sofa before kicking her heels off and leaving them discarded on the rug she set off to the bedroom to find some more comfortable clothes. Whilst she was changing she couldn't shake the pain weighing down on her heart, she missed her parents terribly at the moment, then her thoughts flickered to Ginny, perhaps she too felt this pain which is why she needed Hermione. But then again, Ginny had her entire family just not the person she needed the most. Hermione's heart softened and before she knew it she was already flooing to Grimmauld Place.

OOO

Ginny ran her fingers through her hair exasperatedly as she tried to soothe a crying James Potter. She had just gotten him to sleep in his crib and had finally had the chance to like back and catch up on her sleep for the first time in what felt like forever without her restless little boy disturbing her. Her head sunk into the pillows of her and Harry's bed, she wriggled around until she found a position which she was comfortable in and let her eyelids flutter before sleep claimed her.

It was no less than fifteen minutes later when Ginny heard shouting from downstairs which had not only woken up her, but James as well and of course he had screamed his head off. She tried everything, he didn't want to feed, he didn't need changing, he struggled each time she tried to cuddle him and rocking him made him only scream louder. It was times like this when she needed Harry, whenever he held James he would fall right asleep and Ginny envied his natural fathering abilities. She cried out of frustration, she knew she shouldn't have gotten pregnant as early as she did but she had no control over these things and there was no way she was ever going to give her child up once she had found out. Harry was ecstatic when he had found out, so much so he had married her hastily and the two had a few months of bliss together before Lupin decided it was time for Harry to get back out there.

Ginny had given birth without Harry because of this, he was away with Draco for something that nobody would tell her about. She hated not knowing, she hated the fact that she rarely ever saw her husband, she hated the fact that she was the one to be left behind. James screamed even louder when he felt his Mother's despair and Ginny was at her wits end.

A knock at the door was barely audible over James' crying. Ginny roughly wiped her eyes with her sleeves before the door opened and in stepped none other than Hermione. Ginny's vision blurred again as Hermione gave her a warm smile before rushing over to embrace her.

"'Mione Oh, 'Mione I've missed you so much!" Ginny squealed as she freed a hand from James to touch her friend's face to make sure she was actually there. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in so long." She sobbed.

"Oh Gin, what've you let happen to yourself?" Hermione whispered as she took in the state of the scene before her. Ginny was paler than usual, her eyes were red-rimmed and constantly sparkled with tears which fell over the dark shading beneath her eyes. Her hair was unkempt and in tangles where she had ran her hands through it excessively and Hermione felt absolutely awful, her friend really had needed her and she had left it for so long. She cringed at the sound of another wail from James and so Hermione took it upon herself to scoop him into her own arms so he was against her shoulder and pat him upon the back rhythmically whilst bouncing him.

"Help me 'Mione. I feel so lost. So…dead…" Ginny confessed as a shaky hand reached up to wipe her nose while she sniffled.

"Talk to me Ginny. Tell me everything, I can help you." Hermione urged, scared at what the once lively and feisty young redhead was telling her.

"What was I thinking? I wasn't ready for a child. Look at him, he hates me, he cries every time I hold him and I can't comfort him. Something's wrong with me." She took a deep breath as she looked at James whose screams had been reduced to little whimpers and the occasional hiccup as Hermione bounced him soothingly whilst her other hand remained clamped in Ginny's. "I miss Harry too, he's always gone for so long and he's only seen James once. I feel lost without him, I worry is he dead? Is he alive? Where is he? Is he well? What is he doing? Does he…does he miss me?" Her voice was shaky and Hermione could feel her hand trembling. Things were much worse that Hermione had anticipated.

She balanced James in her one arm and pulled Ginny into her side with the other while the redhead sobbed softly into Hermione's shoulder. "Of course Harry misses you Gin, how could you think otherwise? He loves you, he's loved you for as long as I can remember, he'd never forget about you and James so quickly. And of course he is safe, he's got Malfoy with him too remember."

"That's supposed to be a good thing right?" Ginny giggled and Hermione sighed in relief. There's the Ginny she remembered.

"Of course it's a good thing. From what I've heard he's quite good with a wand, even if he is a smarmy bastard."

"Hermione Granger! I think that's the first time I've ever heard you curse!" Ginny feigned shock.

"What? You try working in an office with two conceited men and tell me if your innocence comes out fully intact!" Ginny fell back onto the bed in bouts of laughter and Hermione smiled affectionately. "Listen Gin, I'm an awful friend. I haven't been here for you when you obviously needed me and I can't begin to express how sorry I am for it but I promise you I will always be here from this moment on. If you ever need me, even if it's for something silly like you need a break from James then owl me. Don't even think about it, but owl me." Hermione said sternly to her friend who nodded silently.

"I will 'Mione, I promise." She sighed. "I just want Harry back."

"And he will come back, of course he will. Good things to she who waits you know." Hermione tapped her nose knowingly. "Haven't your family been helping you out with James?"

"Dad's always busy helping Lupin, most of my brothers are always out running their own little missions and when they get back they're too tired to even think about checking up on me. Ron's got his head in the clouds with Lavender. The only person who thinks to help is Mom and I'm grateful for everything she does but it's not enough. I realise though that she's in charge of feeding everyone and running around after my brothers when they're back but it's like I'm invisible now, I barely even leave this room anymore let alone leave the house."

"Gin, I had no idea-" Hermione began but was cut off when cheering came from downstairs. Ginny's face lit up when what they were chanting was audible and Hermione smiled, she knew Ginny would be alright now for Harry was home.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, just a little note from me. Now the plot has been developed to my liking, I promise in my next chapters I'll give you some Dramione however things won't really kick off between them for a short while yet but it's something to try and sate the longing for now._

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**_Chapter X_**

Harry and Draco stumbled through the door of Grimmauld Place, they weren't exactly having the best of days as of yet and the screaming and cheering which greeted them did little to lift their spirits. Within seconds, Harry lost Draco in the sea of Order members which crowded around them, hugging them, thumping them playfully, cheering for them. Harry didn't feel like a saviour, he didn't deserve to be cheered for today, not after this grisly failure.

After a moment everyone quieted suddenly and the crowd parted to see Ginny bounding towards him. He opened his arms to receive her and he was almost knocked over at the force of her assault, he kissed her hair frantically as her arms tightened around his waist as though she never wanted to let him go. He could feel her unrelenting tears causing his shirt to cling to his skin and his brow furrowed. He tilted his wife's face towards his own to see the tears falling from her cheeks but she quickly shook her head before burying it back into his shirt.

Ginny fell to her knees and dragged Harry with her, it was as though they were the only two people in the room as he hugged her back with ferocity, pressing her up against him and kissing every inch of her that he could get hold of, it was as though lack of contact would kill them both.

Hermione watched as he cradled her gently, smoothing her hair over and kissing her tenderly and whispering sweet nothings into her ear that only seemed to make her cry harder, by now he had removed his glasses and didn't even bother to wipe the tears away as he held his wife again.

The whole scene had Hermione in tears herself, it was so sweet that it was sour. It was things like this which were the reason why Hermione refused to fall in love or pursue relationships of that kind, she was strong, and independent, she didn't need to rely on a man. She knew if she let herself, she would only end up like Ginny who once was exactly the same as her, now reduced to constant worry for her husband. Hermione couldn't allow herself that vulnerability, it would be her weakness and her downfall if she wasn't careful but a part of her yearned for love and no matter how hard she tried to suppress it, it always remained.

She felt happy for Ginny, she would no longer feel that awful sense of loss that Hermione felt because she had Harry back, but Hermione didn't have her parents back. She wanted to see them. No, she needed to see them before the pain engulfed her entirely, she couldn't bear it for much longer.

Draco rolled his eyes at the scene before him, the things people did in the name of love were just humiliating. Poor Harry had managed to get himself married, he was a one-woman man now and Draco felt sorry for him. He didn't know how he stood it when they were away on longer missions with nobody to warm his bed at night. Draco couldn't reduce himself to that, he was living in constant fear that the next day might be his last so he wasn't going to reserve himself for one woman only. Besides, he'd never met someone who could qualify.

"Are you alright there Draco dear?" Molly asked worriedly, eyeing his shirt which was stained in blood. His eyes snapped down to look at his blood soaked front and his eyes widened as he began to frantically tear off his shirt, throwing it into the fire as soon as it had left his torso. He didn't need to be reminded of that, he sighed as he watched the remains of his shirt become engulfed by the fire knowing full well it would be something he wouldn't forget.

_Flashback_

_Draco and Harry had been assigned another case of a missing Muggle-Born, all they knew is that she was a young woman who had been their junior at Hogwarts named Alana Holland and a newer member of the Order, she had last been seen in a little Muggle town called Stevenage and so that is where the two had set out to. The case was fresh and so if they were lucky, they would catch the captors in the act giving them the evidence they needed against alleged Death Eaters and hopefully new leads for other disappearance cases. _

_This girl however had led them on a wild goose chase around the town, they had seen traces of her everywhere but she was still nowhere to be found. It had been almost two weeks that they had been wandering about the town looking for another sign of her since her captors were placing her belongings about that were easily identified as her own. Normally by now they would have given up but Remus was adamant that as a member of the Order, they couldn't give up on her so they painstakingly searched the town._

_It was one night however when they were searching the more abandoned parts of the town when it had happened. They were searching a warehouse in the wizarding suburbs of the town where they had previously found her driver's license, hoping to find something they may have missed before. Draco felt something dripping from above down his shirt, he illuminated his wand and saw that it was blood falling from a steady stream. Regrettably, Harry and himself looked above to see who they believed to be the young girl tied by her neck to a wooden beam. There was a deep slash across her abdomen and her intestines were hanging out but the worst part was that the constant flow of blood dictated that she had just been killed. _

_In her hand a single phoenix feather had been placed, and of course to anybody it would have been insignificant but Harry and Draco knew exactly what it meant. Whoever it was knew their game, they were on to the Order of the Phoenix._

He shuddered at the memory before realising that everyone was looking at him with the exception of Lover Boy and his wife in the corner and so in his frustration he snapped at the first person who he caught sight of.

"Take a picture Princess, it'll last longer." He sneered at Hermione who was taken aback and she abruptly snapped out of her daze before lowering her gaze embarrassed at the realisation that she was ogling Draco Malfoy's chest.

"No thanks, I only take pictures of pleasant people and frankly, you don't quite make the cut." She huffed in response before Fred and George burst out laughing. She tried to hide the smile that was creeping upon her lips but was failing miserably. He hadn't seen Hermione in a good few months at least but here she was, a changed woman in his eyes and he couldn't fathom how he had not noticed her before. He raked his eyes over her as she handed a rather grumpy James Potter over to his grandmother, it was as though he had never seen her before. Well, you know what they say, you can't appreciate a piece of art if you're standing too close. Perhaps months without seeing her was all that he needed to be able to look at her for what she was, a woman.

She had a luscious and petite hourglass figure that curved in all the right places, her breasts, hips and backside in particular which she flaunted by her choice of attire that clung to her in a flattering way. She must've done something to her hair because the once tight and unruly curls had been somewhat relaxed so that they fell in softer and looser waves framing her heart-shaped face. Her eyes swirled like liquid chocolate and he felt warm under her gaze, she had a button nose that was coated in smatterings of freckles that extended to her slightly rosy cheeks too and last of all she had a full pair of cupids bow lips that were slightly parted as she breathed.

She wasn't completely oblivious to the fact that he was eyeing her like a piece of meat and her confidence slipped with every second that his eyes remained glued to her until she was restless so she quickly made her way over to Lupin, she had a good few things she needed to talk to him about.

OOO

"Ah, Hermione. It's been a few months hasn't it? Have a seat." Lupin said cheerfully as he gestured to the chair opposite himself. She sat down elegantly on the chair she had been offered and tucked her ankle behind the other before placing her clasped hands on her knees.

"Skip the pleasantries Lupin, I'm here on business." She said smoothly and he raised an eyebrow at her curiously shocked at how much more stony she had become since she had been away from the Order.

"Very well, do go on." He prompted.

"First of all, I'd like to have it seen to that Harry has a few weeks at least before he is sent off again."

"Why would you make such an odd request?"

"On Ginny's behalf, you've been too busy with your strategizing I assume to notice that she needs him."

"Oh come of it." He scoffed. "She will get over it, we can't have one of our best sitting back because his lovesick wife is pining."

"Forgive me but, how often do you actually inquire after Ginny and James' well-being? " Her voice was getting louder in correspondence with her anger. Lupin remained silent. "That's what I thought, you don't. If you had, you would notice that that _lovesick wife_ as you called her, is suffering far more than what you or anybody else could possibly have anticipated. The girl is depressed, it isn't healthy for her to be cooped up in that room with a baby whilst worrying herself sick about her husband."

"Welcome to the Order! That's what it's like for everybody else here I'll have you know, not a day goes by where someone is worrying about the welfare of another. But you wouldn't know that since you're so eager to stay away." He sneered.

"Upon your insistence!" She exploded. "How dare you even insinuate that it was my decision to stay away. You pushed me into the Ministry, you pushed me into running for office and so by doing such having any ties for the Order would be disastrous, you know that as well as I." The room was filled with her ragged breathing as she tried to regain her composure, she wasn't supposed to have done this. She was supposed to have remained calm, cool and collected and then she just had to go and blow her top.

"My second issue is that I am going out of the country, no more than a few days I suspect. I simply wish to visit my parents in Australia for I have been neglecting them for almost two years and they might be able to help me out with ideas for the campaign." She muttered as she smoothed down her skirt.

"Well you cannot go alone. You are needed here and so your safety is important. We'll send someone with you for protection-"

"I don't need anybody to accompany me. Nobody knows I am part of the Order so I have nothing to fear besides they could be put to much better use than being my bodyguards. I'm leaving by portkey as soon as I have spoken to a few people."

"Going without protection is a disaster waiting to happen. I will not back down on this and I doubt Harry will either, in fact he may just insist on personally escorting you himself."

Hermione was at a loss, everything she said to Lupin he wouldn't accept, he would always try and make her life harder and by the life of her she didn't know why. He never used to be like this until…until Sirius died. Surely he couldn't be holding that against her?

"Fine." She raised her hands up in defeat and didn't even give Lupin a second glance as she stormed out of the room making sure to slam the door behind her. She growled loudly and raked her fingernails down her face in frustration. Why was everything so bloody difficult? She didn't need someone to hold her hand as she went to see her parents, she was 19 now for Merlin's sake, surely she didn't need to be babysat for 24 hours a day. She wished she had Sirius here, he wouldn't let Lupin order her about like this, he would insist that she was fine to go by herself or failing that he would come with her.

OOO

It had been hard for Hermione to find Harry again after her conversation with Lupin. To start with she had to calm herself down significantly because she was sure if she heard one of Draco's snide remarks as he tried to rile her up or happened to be the subject of one of Fred and George's cruel pranks she was sure she would end up in Azkaban for murder before the day was out.

Then she had to try and find a way to lure him out of his and Ginny's room since he had been rather adamant to leave telling everyone he wanted to spend the day with his wife and son so everybody else could sod off. Hermione didn't blame him much but it was important that she talk to him now before she left and she wanted to get out of Grimmauld Place as soon as possible. She wanted a change in atmosphere, she wanted to see new faces, she wanted her parents.

They hadn't even come out of their room for dinner, but she suspected they probably wanted to make up for lost time so Hermione had to resort to spending the night in her old bed in Grimmauld Place to try and wait them out. Luckily for her, James started crying in the early hours of the morning and being a light sleeper she was awoken quickly she had sprinted downstairs to see Harry standing out in the garden cooing softly to James whose cries were quietening now. He strolled back into the kitchen and awkwardly managed James as he tried to put the kettle on.

"Need some help?" Hermione chuckled and Harry spun on the spot and jumped to see Hermione sitting properly on one of the dining chairs as she toyed with the salt shaker. He nodded gratefully and padded over to her as she opened her arms to receive a splotchy faced James Potter who tangled his fists into her matted curls and squealed in delight.

"Thanks." He muttered. "How've you been 'Mione, didn't really get much of a chance to see you yesterday when I got back…" His face flushed slightly with embarrassment as he readjusted his glasses on his nose.

"I've been as well as can be expected I guess, things have been stressful with the campaign and I only hope it'll be worth it in the end."

"Of course it will, you're Hermione Granger, you never fail at anything. I just can't understand why you let Nott be your candidate, you're more than capable." The kettle began to whine and so Harry took it off the stove and began pouring the water into the two cups he had sitting out on the counter.

"Harry, there's a reason for everything I do. Surely you should know that by now? Remember, Nott is a Pureblood who is ironically standing for Muggle-Born rights, by using him I thought it might persuade more of the Pureblooded families to let go of the prejudice after seeing someone else from a prestigious family doing so."

"Still, how can you trust him? He was a bigoted racist back at school, what's to say he's changed?" Harry raised an eyebrow and handed Hermione her mug. She took a wary sip and the tea scalded the tip of her tongue leaving it rough and coarse. She drew back and ran her finger continuously around the rim of the mug.

"If I recall correctly, Malfoy was a bigoted racist back at school too and he was just as bad if not worse that Nott yet I suspect you and he are quite friendly now?"

"Malfoy's different, if it weren't for Sirius in the beginning I would never have even thought to offer him an olive branch. I stood by him because I made a promise to Sirius, but pushing that aside he isn't as bad as what I once thought him to be." He admitted sheepishly.

"Really?" Hermione took another sip of her tea and placed it back onto the table before shifting James in her lap. "How so?" She asked intrigued.

"I've gotta say, working with him wasn't at all what I wanted but after being thrown into field work as partners and whatnot it was a little hard not to communicate and things went from there, we have a mutual understanding. Of course he's still up his own arse in many ways and he hasn't changed out of his womanizing ways and I hate to admit it but Christ, he's powerful. Don't ever tell him I said that though, I have a reputation to maintain you know." He winked cheekily and she stifled a giggle as she pressed her lips onto James' head and inhaled the sweet baby musk that wafted about him as his feathery wisps of raven hair tickled her cheek.

"He's not a bad guy." Harry reiterated and she hummed in acknowledgement, she knew full well that he wasn't a bad person, after all he had been the one to comfort her when she had lost it when Sirius had died. No, she hadn't forgotten that at all especially how he had opened up to her when he had joined the Order but in recent times it was as though he were his old self again and Hermione wasn't sure she wanted anything to do with him. They had grown somewhat distant after being parted for so long and things were just…awkward.

"Anyway." He quickly changed the topic. "I spoke to Lupin late last night." He raised a knowing eyebrow at Hermione who hid her face behind James' head. "Hermione." He said warningly. "He's right, I'm not going to let you waltz off to Australia unguarded, have you lost your mind?"

She mockingly raised a hand to her head and felt around. "No, I'm pretty sure it's still intact." She said sardonically but upon seeing Harry's expression she sighed loudly. "Please Harry, I don't want to go through this again. I'm not a child, nobody knows I am a part of the Order outside the Order itself so I have nothing to worry about."

"No Hermione, listen to me. Someone out there is on to us, the Muggle-Born we found had a phoenix feather found on her. Don't tell me that isn't a coincidence." He growled at her as her face paled a little. "If you're going, then I'm coming with you. I'll never forgive myself if something happened to you out there. Besides, you're too important to this next election so don't get dying anytime soon." He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Harry, you can't. Ginny needs you here, you have no idea how bad she's been without you it's like she's been dead. She's constantly sick with worry and…Oh God Harry, it's just heartbreaking to see her like that, you can't leave her." Hermione pleaded.

"Hermione, no. I may not want to leave Ginny but she's safe here, you're not safe in Australia, it's uncharted territory. We have no idea if the Australian Ministry is siding with Thicknesse and Riddle, for all we know there could be Death Eaters swarming the place. I'm not going to let my best friend go there alone."

She opened her mouth to protest but he quickly cut her off again. "Don't even bother, Lupin is sending me over on business with the Australian Ministry anyway, two birds one stone. But, it means I'm going to have to bring someone else to watch over you whilst I'm at the Ministry-"

"Why can't I come with you?" She interrupted.

"Because if there are Death Eaters over there and they see you with me; a renowned member of the Order of the Phoenix in the Australian Ministry…You see how bad that's going to look right? And no, I'm not going to leave you for a few hours on your own so you can knock that notion on the head."

"Fine, at least tell me who will have the honour of babysitting me?" She huffed.

Harry smirked. "You're acquainted with Draco, right?"


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, I wouldn't normally update this quickly due to revision and all but somehow I found the time to write another chapter where we will **finally** get some Dramione for a bit. Obviously things won't kick off straight away of course but this is where we start off ;3_

* * *

**_Chapter XI_**

"Oh for the love of God! Of all the people on this bloody plane I get sat next to you." Hermione huffed as she slumped down into her seat angrily. Lupin and Harry had insisted that it would be safer for them to travel by Muggle means since it would be unlikely that they might be traced by any Death Eaters.

"The lady doth protest too much." Draco feigned hurt as he placed his hand over his chest. She turned to him quickly and her lip twitched in anger. "Bloody hell Granger, calm down." He rolled his eyes.

"I have to spend the next few days with you as it is and frankly, I'm not in the mood for you."

"Oh come on Granger, what is your problem? You never used to be so bitchy." He sighed as she wrestled with her seatbelt.

"What do you mean by that, Malfoy?" She asked in a dangerously low voice however he was not deterred.

"I mean, you're acting like you have a huge stick up your arse. I mean look at you, throwing a little tantrum because you have the honour of sitting next to me for the duration of this 23 hour flight. You used to be an amiable person going back a few years." He muttered as he drummed his fingers nervously on the armrests.

"I am an amiable person, to everyone except you." She spat and relaxed back in to her seat as the plane jolted forwards and slowly pulled away from the terminal.

"And why might that be?" His voice faltered a little as he looked past her frizzy curls and out of the small window beside her watching the airport rush by at an ever increasing pace.

"Why? Because you're insufferable, you try to wind me up every time I'm…" She trailed off and noticed that his grip was tightening on the armrests to the extent where his knuckles were whitening, his eyes had widened and his face was paling. "Malfoy? Have you ever flown before?" She asked carefully and he shook his head rapidly, she should've known of course Malfoy would never have been on a plane before and so now it was down to her to calm and distract him. Forgetting all of her previous anger she placed a reassuring hand on his and felt him tense up even more as the plane took off and tilted up towards the sky.

She started off by immediately closing the shade by the window knowing that seeing how high up they actually were would do nothing to calm his nerves. "Right, breathe, Draco." She ordered him and he inhaled deeply and fixed his eyes on the seat in front of him and his eyes significantly widened each time the plane creaked or jolted a little and she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She remembered her first time flying, she had cried to her Mother and clung to her sleeve the whole time and so she knew how he felt.

She fished around in her purse and yanked out her iPod knowing that a little music will help to drown out the constant creaking of the plane. She swiftly untangled the earphones and jammed them into his ears before pressing the play button and handing him the little electric blue device. He was about to protest when the music started playing and he sunk back in his seat a little more and gradually loosened his grip on armrest to inspect the curious item that she had handed him.

She in the meantime pulled out the novel she had brought along to keep her busy whilst she endured the gruelling flight. She had found it when sifting through her Mother's selection of titles which surprisingly enough were all fictional romances, something in which she had never cared for much in the past but she had already read all of her own selection a few times over and so she opted for something new. One Day by David Nicholls, it was one of the few books in her Mother's collection that _wasn't_ by Nicholas Sparks who she had never really cared for, his stories always had made her hope for something she would never have and so she quickly stopped herself from falling into the addiction of his characters. She preferred unhappy endings, only because to her they seemed more realistic and taught her not to get her hopes up too much which she liked, they brought her down to earth a little more.

"Anything I can get you?" A cheerful and somewhat whorish looking stewardess appeared leaning slightly over Draco so that her cleavage was on show through her slightly unbuttoned and tight shirt. Her hair was evidently bleached since her roots were darkening, her eyeliner was far too heavy and her mascara looked like spider's legs. Her lips were caked in a harlot red lipstick and were slightly pursed. Everything about her screamed _'Fuck Me'._ Hermione noticed that she was eagerly eye raping Draco who winked at her in response. Hermione's rage built, why it that men were so was interested in common little trollops like this one and yet women of some credit and self-worth weren't even spared a second glance. Men were such pigs who only thought with their dicks, she concluded before reaching her breaking point as the stewardess placed a hand plastered in fake nails and matching red nail polish on his wrist and was running her nails across his shirtsleeve seductively.

"Yes, a vodka and tonic if you will for him." She smiled at the stewardess with an acid sweetness who quickly dragged her attention away from Draco and gave Hermione a piercing look as if to scold her for interrupting her. "Actually make that two." She added quickly, she would need something strong too after that sickening display. The stewardess quickly left but Draco was sure to turn his head and watch her behind as she walked away.

"Feeling better I see." She spat as she unbuckled her seatbelt and threw it off her lap.

"A little," He admitted. "What's gotten your knickers in a twist. Again." He raised an eyebrow, he was no fool and knew jealousy when he saw it. She didn't reply and raised her book and opened it to the first page trying to block him out. "Hermione Granger, are you jealous?" He mocked gleefully. She raised her book closer to her face as to try and hide the blush she could feel creeping across her cheeks. She wasn't jealous of the tramp getting _his_ attention, she was jealous because the tramp was getting his _attention_. Everybody had looked straight past her, they had been intimidated by her intelligence and so they generally stayed away and it hurt her for a while until she had decided she didn't need a man, she was doing perfectly well on her own, a man would only mess everything up. Besides, there was no such thing as true love and happily ever afters, she knew that much at least.

"As if. I wouldn't even touch you with a ten foot pole, Malfoy." She retorted. "You just need to mind yourself, we could be under watch here and you're only attracting unwanted attention."

"Okay Granger, you keep telling yourself that. It's not a crime you know, most women find me irresistible so you're not alone." He grinned.

"If you haven't noticed Malfoy, I do have standards. Also, I'm quite busy and so I'd appreciate it if you left me alone."

"You're reading, that isn't quite busy is it?" He challenged.

"This is why I didn't want to sit next to you." She sighed and turned away from him on her chair trying to absorb herself in her book.

"Granger?"

"What!?" She exploded and turned around to see him holding out a glass to her. "Oh…thank you." She took the glass gingerly and quickly knocked it all back in a few gulps before handing it back to him and turning back to her book trying to ignore the shudder that kept trying to surface after the bitter taste left in her mouth. He simply stared in shock and then smirked, perhaps the little princess isn't such a princess after all. _Oh it's going to be a good 23 hours. _

OOO

He had watched her carefully as she had slept, it was 5pm on the Australian clocks when it was only 8am in Britain, it was going to take a lot of getting used to and he knew his sleeping pattern for the next week or so was completely screwed. He still had her iPod playing throughout the whole of the journey and her playlist was still going, in her favour she did actually have an eclectic and refined taste in her music although he noticed many of the songs she chose were quite sad such as the one he was listening to now, fumbling about with the buttons the screen eventually lit up to display the title _Thriving Ivory - Day of Rain__._

She hadn't spoken to him much throughout the rest of the journey with the exception of when she had asked him if he had wanted another drink because she had gotten towards the ending of the seemingly harmless novel that in fact had almost made her cry. Shortly after that she had gone to sleep and hadn't woken since, he preferred her when she slept, the crinkle in her brow had relaxed and her eyelashes fanned her cheeks, her lips were no longer downturned but pursed and slightly parted as she breathed steadily and a disobedient curl had fallen across her face as she used her arm as a pillow. She looked so tranquil and so…beautiful…

"Excuse me, Sir?" Draco looked around to see a different stewardess to the bimbo from earlier in the flight. He took out one earphone. "You need to wake her, we're preparing for landing. Can I get you anything?" She asked politely.

"Some tea, for her." He said automatically, knowing it was what she drank in the mornings a few years ago. The stewardess nodded and walked back in the direction she came. He didn't want to wake her just yet, she'd probably have his balls for even trying. Regardless, he jabbed her shoulder and she began to stir, moving her arms from underneath her head and placing it over her eyes she began to stretch out her cramped muscles before finally opening her eyes only to be staring straight into the face of Malfoy. She gasped and jumped back a little placing her hand over her heart to steady herself.

"Christ Malfoy, way to scare the bejesus out of me!"

"Well I must say that's not usually the reaction of a woman who's just woken up next to me." He muttered. "Anyway, apparently we're landing so you need to wake up." She groaned again and pulled her chair back up before the stewardess came back with a polystyrene cup full of tea. He took it and paid the woman before handing it to Hermione.

"Thanks." She uttered and accepted the cup gracefully, immediately bringing it to her lips and taking a sip. She crumpled her face in disgust at the taste, it was far too milky and had no sugar in it. "Urgh, this'll have to do, aeroplane produce is foul. Remind me to stop by at a Costa when we get off so I can get a decent brew."

"A what?" He asked curiously.

"Oh, it's a Muggle shop where you get coffee, tea, you get the idea?" She whispered through a giggle. She placed the cup on a tray in front of her and began to do up her own seatbelt before turning to him who didn't seem to be bothered at all, rolling her eyes, she reached across him and began fumbling about feeling for his seat belt.

"Granger, if you were so eager to touch me all you had to do was ask."

"You're such a pig. I don't know why I bother, after all it's you who is supposed to be looking after me _not_ the other way around." She sighed and clipped his seatbelt in before throwing herself back into her seat.

"Granger?" He said softly. No answer. "Graaaangerrrr?" She tried to stifle a smile but still no answer. "Hermione!"

"What?" She snarled.

"Thank you."

"Do my ears deceive me? The great Draco Malfoy is thanking me? Well someone hand me a calendar, I need to pencil this one in." She chuckled. "Why are you thanking me?" She inquired.

"For helping me whilst I endured my time on this stupid Muggle death trap."

"Don't mention it." She replied.

OOO

After they had departed from the plane, Hermione quickly found a Costa since she needed to quench her thirst and wash the taste of cheap tea from her mouth and so she dragged Draco along with her and they grabbed a seat in plain view of the gate so they would see when Harry departed.

"What're you having?" She asked him and he looked at her bemusedly.

"Excuse me? Sit down, I'm buying." He ordered, never ever had a woman offered to buy his drink. Ever.

"No, you bought the tea." She placed a hand firmly on his shoulder so that he couldn't get up. "So, I'll ask again, what're you having?" She smiled sweetly.

"Whatever you're having I guess…" He mumbled and she rolled her eyes and set off towards the counter where she decided to be spontaneous and ordered two hot chocolates instead and made her way back to the table where they waited for Harry. She placed the mug in front of him and he eyed it warily as she took the opposite seat and using the little wooden stirrer she spooned little dollops of cream into her mouth before running her finger around the rim while she watched him as he raised the mug to his lips and his eyebrows shot up as he considered the taste. "What is this?" He asked curiously.

She hid a small giggle behind the mug which she held to her lips before taking a deliberately long sip before lowering it and running her finger around the rim again. "That is hot chocolate. I can't believe you've never tasted it." She remarked.

"Oh, how do you know it is something I haven't tried?" He asked.

"It's obvious. The way your eyes widened when I placed the mug before you, and how you were tensed when you took a sip alongside the fact that you asked me what it was."

He gawked in silence for a moment before pressing his lips into a tight line. "You're very perceptive aren't you?"

"Was that a compliment I hear?" She said sardonically.

"Who said it was a compliment?" He backfired. She didn't reply. "So what are we doing here and when are we going back?" He asked impatiently.

"Why Malfoy, anyone would think you were eager to get back on that plane." She mocked and his eyes narrowed to slits.

"Don't even go there Granger."

"What are you going to do about it? Nothing, because you can't. Like it or not Malfoy, you're here for my protection and so that's what you're going to do so you're just going to have to suck it up." She spat and a small growl was emitted from his throat, he wanted nothing more than to get up and leave this irritating witch here in the airport and relieve some of this tension in the only way he knew how but no, he was playing lackey for uptight Granger. She was an enigma, he couldn't understand it. Those years ago at Grimmauld Place, she was nothing like this, she was almost sweet and she wasn't as feisty as she was now. It was unfathomable, at one time they had been almost friends you could say but she had changed considerably which could only lead him to think one thing that something had happened in the two years that he hadn't seen her to cause her to change so much. Either that or she still hadn't found someone to fuck the arrogance out of her yet.

"I'm so sorry for the delay. The dolts in security were convinced I was carrying contraband, it took me a good 20 minutes to get it through to them." Harry sighed as he dropped his duffle bag onto the seat beside a fuming Hermione. Why Harry didn't travel light, they would never know.

"Yes well, get on with it Potter. Some of us would like to make it out of here before we're 50." Draco faked a yawn and Harry simply grinned at him whilst Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry and Draco have been close but it never stopped the good old friendly banter.

"Right well, we've got a car waiting outside that'll take us to the hotel-"

"Hotel?" Hermione repeated.

"Yes, hotel." Harry reiterated.

"Why are we checking into a hotel?"

"Where did you think you were going to stay?" Draco asked.

"Well, my parents' house, perhaps?"

"Are you crazy, Hermione? We have to take precautions, I told you this. Staying with your parents could be a risky move for you, we don't know who could be lurking out here and so you two have fake identities for the duration of your stay."

"What?!" Hermione stood up and banged her fists on the table. "Why are we acting like a simple visit to my parents is a bloody covert operation?!" She screamed and stalked off with her hair bouncing wildly behind her. She wanted time away from the circus that was the Order only to realize that it had followed her in all its stupidity. She didn't need Harry and Draco to escort her, she just wanted to spend time with her parents but she couldn't even do that anymore without a bloody entourage.

She burst into the ladies room and was relieved to find it empty. She pressed down the cold tap and cupped her hands underneath the freezing jet of water as it filled the makeshift cup which she then preceded to splash all over her face. She raked her fingernails down her cheeks and through her hair before looking up at her reflection in the mirror and letting silent tears of frustration build in the corners of her eyes but she refused to let them fall. She came out here by her own choice, she wanted a few days to be free of the control that others had over her and yet here she was and still being indirectly controlled by Lupin.

Well no more. She thought firmly and her lip curled in defiance, she would not bow down to Lupin's wishes way over here, she was sick of him. She would go to her parents' house, even if she had to walk there herself. Harry and Draco be damned. She carefully crept out of the ladies and peeked around the corner only to see Harry and Draco heading straight towards her. Her breath caught in her throat and she quickly spun on her heel and ran off in the opposite direction. She parted the crowd which didn't really help the fact that she was trying to conceal herself since they all stopped and stared at her.

Panicking, she stepped into a nearby shop which happened to be a WHSmiths outlet and quickly lost herself amongst the aisles praying that they wouldn't find her. They weren't going to manhandle her, she was her own woman and she wanted to spend her time with her parents and so that was what she would do. She ran her fingers across the many books lined up on the shelves and picked one out at random and flipped it over to scan the blurb but she couldn't absorb herself in the words. The adrenaline was pumping viciously through her veins and she needed to leave quickly.

Sticking to the crowds she managed to navigate her way towards the exit where she could find a taxi and get out of here before she was found. However when she got out there none of the taxis were available so she would have to wait until another one showed up. She found a small alcove that was slightly hidden so she could quietly wait for a car or a bus without attracting too much attention to herself but on the downside it would mean when something did open up she would have to sprint to get there before someone else did.

"You never make things easy for yourself Granger." A familiar voice drawled and the hairs on the back of her neck stiffened and the pang of disappointment flooded through her. She fingered her wand but he was too quick for her, capturing both of her wrists with one hand and pinning them up over her head against the wall. With his other hand he patted his pockets before pulling out a little vial of purple liquid, dreamless sleep potion. She clamped her lips shut and turned her head away, holding the vial between his teeth he squeezed her cheeks painfully forcing her mouth open when he quickly poured the potion into her mouth.

"That's it, be a good girl Granger." He mocked and her brow creased and her eyes narrowed to slits. Using all of her might, she spat the potion out as forcefully as she could so that little rivulets of purple formed all over his defined face.

She smirked and put her lips close to his ear and whispered. "Oh Malfoy, when have you ever known me to be a good girl?"

His angry eyes widened considerably followed shortly by a sharp intake of breath through his parted lips. She watched as his eyes darkened and his breathing became heavy, his indifference to her quickly faded only to be replaced with his full attention, his boredom in her presence quickly turned into lust. He cast a non-verbal stunning spell which caught her off-guard and she fell limp into his arms where he immediately pressed his nose into her neck and inhaled deeply letting the aroma of vanilla wash over him. He would look back on this moment a long time in the future and know that this was the moment that he decided that Hermione Granger would be his.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys. No promises but I'm hoping that updates will be a more regular now since I'm officially on study leave as of yesterday and I only have three exams left to do so its manageable. I've panned out the rest of the plot and I'm just hoping you guys like long stories because I'm not planning on making this one short but like I said before Chapter 1, it won't be a happy ending. Well kind of, I'll let you guys be the judge of that when it's finished. _

* * *

**_Chapter XII_**

He was for lack of a better word, confused to say the least. He had cast a disillusionment charm on himself and Hermione before hauling her over his shoulder and carrying her off to the Mercedes that Harry had waiting. Harry hadn't really wanted to incapacitate Hermione like that but the witch was just so damn stubborn and the two both knew she wasn't going to come quietly which left Harry the ultimate task of driving since Draco had absolutely no idea how to do, so he was condemned to the backseat with an unconscious Hermione.

He couldn't understand it. He loathed this witch and the thing she had become, she irritated him at every turn by simply being who she was and for the life of him he couldn't fathom how she had turned him on more than any other witch had in his entire life. Just by uttering that little sentence, his whole world had been turned up onto its head. Never was he supposed to actually want Hermione Granger, it was wrong. Perhaps it was simply his hormones raging, he hadn't actually had a good tumble between the sheets in a while.

Every other woman he sought after, he could have at his feet within a matter of minutes, everywhere he went he would have women swooning over him, arguing with each other who would have the privilege of being chosen by him. But not this stubborn little bushy haired witch, she was the queen of the prudes as far as he was concerned which was why she was so uptight all the time but she wouldn't fall for his advances and only become irritated when he even tried. Perhaps that was why he was so attracted to her like this now? She was the only one to resist him, she was the only one who didn't instantaneously lust after him and she had just shown him a whole other side of her by whispering that little sentence laced with innuendos that filled his head with plenty of visions which centred about a certain witch.

Well, he would have a few days to spend with her without Harry if he was lucky to make his advances on her. He was an impatient person and he wouldn't wait, she would be his and he had already decided and the more she resisted the more he would want her and the harder he would try. She would give in eventually because how could she really resist him? He wasn't blind to the way her breathing changed and her usual retorts failed her when she was standing close enough. She wanted him, and she was too proud to admit it. It irked him that he had become infatuated with the witch who irritated him to no end, but then again this witch was his match, his equal in almost everything so it would make sense wouldn't it? Besides she would be a good challenge and Draco loved a good chase every once in a while and then when she finally gave in he could get this silly dalliance out of his system and never look her way again.

"Right, wake her up." Harry shouted back, keeping his eyes glued to the road before him being the cautious driver that he was.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? You're safe in the front seat, she's going to have my balls!" Draco put his head into his hands

"We're going to have to do it sometime, besides the child locks are on so she isn't going anywhere." Harry smirked into the rear view mirror

"Potter, if I don't make it out alive…give your wife a good fuck for me." He smirked devilishly.

"Oh Malfoy, I think you'll find I shall be doing that regardless." Harry guffawed. After spending years with Malfoy, he knew better than to take him seriously anymore.

He made sure he had her wand far out of her reach before lifting the stunning charm wordlessly. Her brow instantly creased and the corner of her lip twitched. Her eyes cracked open and they were smouldering with rage and fury. She immediately turned and leapt towards Draco reaching for his neck.

"How dare you even _think_ to manhandle me you-" She growled but was cut off when Harry immediately braked sending her flying forwards, falling off the backseat.

"Now, now children, don't make me come back there." Harry jested from the front and the two men laughed loudly much to Hermione's annoyance.

"You two are-" She tried again but was quickly cut off by Draco.

"Sit down Granger, women are meant to be seen and not heard." She growled at him again and he quickly cast a _silencio_ on her, preventing her from speaking. "Don't make me immobilize you as well, just listen to what Potter needs to say and then we'll knock you out again." He joked and her eyes narrowed at him. He loved riling her up, she just looked so damn shaggable when she was angry but now was not the time.

"Thank you my wonderful side-kick." Harry chuckled. "Right, Hermione. Now I _finally_ have your attention and you can't run off this time, I will finish telling you the plan for the duration of our stay out here but I'm going to need you to co-operate otherwise I won't trust you enough to go out." Her rage was at its peak and she was certain she was going to murder one of the two in a moment. Draco simply watched in amusement as her eyes continued to darken and she began pinching the skin on the back of her hands to contain her rage. "Like I was saying earlier, thanks to Fred and George we managed to get the two of you fake identities while you're here, I'll give them to you when we stop." He smirked knowingly. "Hermione, before you argue you _will _be staying in a hotel because we can protect you better from there and it will help conceal you because for most of the time I will be in the Australian Ministry trying to convince…well…I'm on business…" He trailed off.

She debated this for a few moments while unwillingly sitting silently letting the words run over in her head. How could Harry do this to her? He knew full well she was her own person and hated any interference with free will and now here he was, after months of absence trying to tell her what she could and couldn't do. Malfoy must've had some influence him while they were both gone. She wanted nothing more than to scream at him until her voice was hoarse, strangle him until her fingers cramped but she was little more than a small woman up against two very powerful wizards who would no doubt put her under the influence of another stunning spell if she dared to try and run away from them again. She was infuriated but after contemplating it thoroughly her shoulders which were tense with defiance sagged when she realised she wouldn't be let out of their sight for even a minute if she didn't agree to their terms so it would mean she would spend less time with her parents. She lowered her head and nodded it softly.

"What's that Granger?" Draco eyed her curiously. She shot him an irritated look before craning her neck and tapping her throat to motion that she still couldn't speak. He silently removed the charm and she took a moment before she even realised she could speak again. She cleared her throat and was surprised to hear the rumble.

"Okay. Fine." She said tight-lipped. "I agree to your absolutely unnecessary and completely ridiculous requirements but it'll make my stay here a lot easier if you two creeps weren't knocking me out and effectively kidnapping me every time I find myself alone." She huffed.

"That's good to hear 'Mione, because we're here." Harry announced pulling up next to the pavement.

"Harry, couldn't you have parked a little closer to the entrance. My legs are a little stiff from being under a stunning spell, no thanks to _someone._" She narrowed her eyes in Draco's direction and he pressed his lips together to try and hide his smirk.

"I told you 'Mione, I can't be seen with you. I'll owl you when I'm settled, okay?" He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and looked about cautiously scanning the crowds for anybody who might be watching them a little suspiciously.

"No Harry. Not okay, you're leaving me here with him for company." She protested thumbing in Draco's direction. Draco rolled his eyes behind her and Harry tried to stifle a laugh as he dug into his pocket and fished out their charmed passports before handing them to Draco. "Look 'Mione ,you'll have my owl by the end of the day, I'm just going to be really busy. The Australian Ministry doesn't trust us, they don't particularly want to be dragged into this upcoming war but we need all the allies we can get." Harry confessed. "Just be careful out here."

"Don't worry yourself Potter, I'll take care of her." He assured him and draped his arm over her shoulder. She blushed slightly picking up on the innuendo before scowling and flinging his arm away.

"Get off me. Let's go, I want to get into my room. Away from you, I might add." She turned on her heel and stalked off in the direction of the entrance. Harry nodded at Draco and pulled away from the pavement and drove off. Draco looked at the two passports in his hands and opened them both, curious as to what his new identity would be for the next few days, his eyes widened and he smirked knowingly, perhaps this little visit was going to be better than he thought.

Snapping them shut and shoving them into his pocket, he followed her into the hotel where she was waiting in the lobby. He strolled over to her and ushered her towards the receptionist's desk, she tapped her foot irritatingly as she waited impatiently for the receptionist to finish on the phone and tend to them.

"Hello, how may I help you?" She asked politely. Hermione went to open her mouth but Draco smoothly cut in.

"Ah yes, I believe we have reservations." He stated.

"Oh right, bear with me a moment." She smiled and swivelled in her chair towards the computer and began tapping away on the keyboard. "What name are you under?"

"Black." He replied. She nodded in acknowledgement and quickly scrolled down the list.

"I have it. Mr and Mrs Black." She exclaimed and Hermione's stomach dropped. _Mr and Mrs?!_ Draco studied her reaction carefully and curled an arm around her waist, pulling her in dangerously close to him. He could feel her stiffen as the receptionist began to collect their key.

"So, you're from Britain then? I recognise the accent." She said, trying to make polite conversation.

"Oh yes." Draco said. "We're here on our honeymoon, aren't we sweetheart?" His hand trailed up and down her back leaving goosebumps in its wake.

"Y-yes" She stuttered trying to keep her composure. "Australia is supposed to be absolutely lovely at this time of year." She feigned a smile at the receptionist as she tried to ignore Draco who was now nuzzling her neck and planting little kisses often sending electricity jolting through her body, adrenaline was coursing through her veins leaving her shivering every once in a while and she could feel a throbbing sensation between her legs. This was wrong, she wasn't supposed to feel like this at all. No, he shouldn't be touching her like this at all, it was all his goddamn fault the bloody pervert.

The receptionist held out the key and Hermione quickly snatched it before Draco could even think to raise his arm and maneuvered herself out of his arms and straight towards the elevator and was dismayed to see the metal doors closing before her. She had a choice, wait for the next elevator with him to follow her to her room after he got his key or make for the stairs so he couldn't follow her. She chose the latter and immediately started up the marble staircase, heaving herself up using the rail. She had absolutely no idea where she was going but the tag on her key said room 131 so she assumed it would be a good few floors up.

She took a wild guess and tried the fourth floor and began walking briskly through the halls scanning each of the doors to find the one that matched her key. She rounded a corner and heard the ping of the elevator in front of her, the metal doors parted and out stepped an irritated looking Malfoy. She turned on her heel to make a dash for it but he called out to her.

"Seriously, we've been here little more than two hours and you've already tried to escape me twice. I'm not that bad a husband am I?" He joked.

"Sod off Malfoy. You'd be crazy to think I'd willingly marry you. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get settled into my room." She snapped and she eyed the door with the golden '131' on the outside.

"Oh come on, if people thought I was alive I'd have women lining up from here to Timbuktu." He retorted as she slipped the key into the lock and pushed the door open, only to realise that he was still standing outside her door.

"Whatever, get out of here. This is my room." She ordered and he burst out laughing, continuing until he was clutching his sides in agony and she stared at him confusedly.

"That's where you're wrong. We're married sweetheart, and so it's _our _room." He whispered deviously and her face paled at the thought. "Don't jump for joy Granger, you might hurt yourself." He muttered sardonically.

"Forgive me for not celebrating, it's just the prospect of having to share a room with you for the next few days is positively grim." She sighed and his eyes narrowed.

"Well, as much as I'd like to say the feeling is mutual, we're married for the next few days. So, _my darling wife,_ how about we inspect our new living quarters." He offered and swerved around her and into the room, and it wasn't too shabby, definitely better than the dreariness of Grimmauld Place or any other motel that he and Harry checked into whilst on a mission and so a few days of luxury whilst tormenting and possibly ogling Granger was a treat indeed.

She followed him into the room shortly after and her eyes immediately fell upon the bed. Of course it was a double. She groaned inwardly and threw her head into her hands, no way was she going to be sharing a bed with Malfoy, who knows where he's been. But then again the same though left her shivering with which could either be disgust or dare she say it? Desire. No, she did not desire Malfoy, she did not relish the feeling of his hands on her back nor the way he nuzzled her neck previously. Absolutely not.

"Right, we're laying down some ground rules if I'm living in here with you." She started. "One, you're sleeping on the couch."

"One day of marriage and I'm already condemned to the couch? You didn't waste any time did you. As long as I get to come back to some mind-blowing make-up sex then I'll forgive you." He said indifferently as he inspected his fingernails.

"You pig."

"Is that the best you can do? Where's that quick tongue I loved so much?"

She ignored him. "Rule two, don't even think about even coming near the bathroom when I'm in there."

"As if I would even want to." He choked and what a lie it was, of course he was curious as to what the witch was hiding behind those frumpy clothes of hers half the time, especially since earlier. Damn, he should've taken a peek while she was stunned, then his curiosity would be sated and he needn't bother her again.

She knew it shouldn't have, but his comment stung. Of course she was kind of asking for it but she had always been rather insecure about herself but to have it pointed out by Malfoy of all people really did nothing for her ego at all. In reality, she had never had a serious relationship with anybody let alone let anybody see her naked or even touch her inappropriately and she was the dictionary definition of a virgin. Her mother had told her that her virginity was a very special gift only to ever be given to someone very special and for Hermione it seemed that '_someone very special'_ wasn't going to make an appearance in the foreseeable future, especially with her being who she was. She had no time to go out, she didn't even have the confidence to get dressed up and go out, she was in the midst of a war in which she would be fighting for the Order and she was already in the middle of a political war against the same opponents so it seemed as though Hermione was going to die an old spinster, living alone with 72 cats and if she was being honest, it never really bothered her.

"Good, at least I know you won't be tempted then." She spat.

"Yes, well I can't say the same for you." He smirked to himself.

"Oh, don't flatter yourself!" She exclaimed. "Look at me, I'm Malfoy, I'm so hot that every girl would kill to have a chance to jump into my bed and ride my cock." She impersonated with a goofy low voice. "Get over yourself. People like you make me sick." She finished triumphantly.

For a moment, she thought she had seriously gotten through to him until she could see in the growing darkness that his shoulders were shaking with laughter. This wasn't funny!

"Honestly, if you're going to impersonate me at least do it well enough not to make me sound like Weasley with a hangover. Besides dear wife, out here my name isn't Malfoy and yours isn't Granger either. Out here you're mine." He breathed and she felt her heartbeat quicken in response, the idea of Malfoy being possessive, especially over her made her knees weak with anticipation and her cheeks flush, she only hoped he couldn't see it.

He stepped across the room towards her and began circling her as though she were his prey, to be descended upon and ravaged at his own whim. She cleared her throat. "I'm not an item, I don't belong to anybody. Least of all you. And, I'm not married to you either, so let's knock that notion on the head once and for all." She muttered.

"Ah yes, you may not be married to me. But nobody out here knows that do they? So why not put on a good show?" He slender and pale fingers brushed her shoulder causing her traitorous body to let out an involuntary shiver giving him the idea that he actually had an effect on her.

"Because I'm here for a purpose. Besides, I never really was a good actor." She retorted and scampered off to find refuge behind the locked doors of the bathroom where she proceeded to splash her face with cold water and get ready for bed. It may only be 7 in the evening but if she was going to be a few days, she might as well try and fit in with the time-zone so she wasn't tired tomorrow when she would have to come face to face with her parents again.

He smirked towards the door. He had her right where he wanted her, she wasn't impartial to him and they both knew it. He would soon have her begging for his touch and when that time came he would tease her just as much as she had teased him earlier today and he had her all to himself for the next few days so he could begin his work on cracking Hermione Granger.

OOO

She held her breath and hoped Malfoy was either out of at least not looking in her direction as she prepared to bolt out of the bathroom door. Believing she was going to be staying in her own room on a hot night in Australia, she had only thought to bring a rather skimpy pair of pyjamas which consisted of a pastel blue silken top with black spaghetti sleeves and a small black bow on the dangerously low neckline which exposed quite a lot of skin, paired with a pair of matching shorts.

"Malfoy?" She asked through the door.

"Yes wife?" He called back and the hair on her arms stood to attention at the degrading endearment.

"Umm…don't look for a minute. Alright?"

"Why?"

"Just….just don't." She stuttered. "Or else."

"Is that a sexual threat?" He countered.

"I mean it!" She screeched.

"Alright, I won't look." He rolled his eyes and knew full well that he was in fact going to look. Whenever someone told him not to do something, the temptation to do it came back tenfold. He heard the click of the bathroom door and the sound of her feet lightly padding across the floor. He smirked and turned around slightly to see her creeping quickly towards the bed to see her in some of the scantiest sleepwear he had ever seen her wearing. It was rather daring of her to reveal so much of that desirable creamy skin especially in his state of mind. His jaw dropped.

"You wear that to bed!?" He exclaimed and she stopped dead in her tracks, mortified that he had seen her in such a state of undress.

"Well I wasn't expecting company." She murmured.

"Evidently." He said curtly, trying to ignore the stirring in his groin wishing she'd just get into the goddamn bed and cover herself rather than torment him any longer. It was going to be a long few days.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys. I've been writing non-stop so another chapter! I'm such a nice author sometimes._

_Just a quick note in response to a review I had last night that caught my interest from **anthraquinblue**. I would have sent it as a PM but decided against it in case anybody else out there was also confused with the way I'm writing Hermione. Thank you for your review, first of all. I enjoy constructive criticism so I can try and work on it as the fic progresses. I just wanted to expand on my reasoning on the change in Hermione's personality. I'm writing her differently to how she was before in the earlier chapters because I want it to seem as though she's changed (not necessarily for the better) after Lupin's constant hounding and ordering her about, she tends to become a little more irritable and rebellious after being forced into a role that she didn't want to play. She has little tolerance now for him unlike she did when she was younger and more naive and trusting of him and with Draco she feels that he too has changed and he irritates her just as much as Lupin does. I'm trying to make her seem a little more fiery and argumentative than usual but this is only temporary, I assure you. I couldn't keep writing Hermione like this because even I feel that she is OOC, but it's essential to the plot but I promise it will go, not entirely because what Gryffindor would she be then, really? Thanks again for your review. Corabel._

_Anwyay, on with the chapter!_

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_**Chapter XIII**_

He had no idea what time it was when he awoke, except from the fact that it was very early. He had fallen asleep in his clothes after being too distracted by Granger in her skimpy sleepwear to even remember to change and now his shirt and trousers were all crumpled from where he'd slept. He stretched out trying to relieve the cramping and achiness in his muscles as a result of sleeping on a rather uncomfortable sofa before sitting up and yawning.

Looking over to the bed, he could tell she was definitely still asleep somewhere amongst the golden sheets. He eyed the space enviously, how was it that one tiny girl had such a large bed to herself when he had to make do with the bloody sofa? Then again, he'd rather not see her again until she was dressed properly since he had already lost enough sleep last night at the confusing prospect that there was a very scantily clad woman in a bed across the room and for once he couldn't touch her. Not that he particularly wanted to – ah, why lie to himself, of course he wanted to. But this was Granger, it wasn't even worth the thought she was as uptight as they come and so she wouldn't ever consent to it.

The first rays of light where breaking through the darkness of the night, gradually paling the darkness of the sky. The birds had awoken and were twittering their symphonies outside of the windows and he was wide awake, there was no chance of getting back to sleep now and so now he had to try and make it out of the room in the almost dark whilst trying not to wake Granger. He slowly lifted himself off the sofa keeping his eyes glued to the bump under the sheets and as he gained his full height he quietly tip-toed in the direction of the door until she moved.

He froze in his tracks and held his breath as he saw her stirring under the sheets and noticed she had brushed the blanket aside slightly to reveal her bare, creamy leg as she lay on her stomach. Through her silken shorts he could make out the perfect curve of her behind and failed to suppress a groan at the overwhelming urge he felt to run his hands all over her. He cringed as it resounded through the room watching to see if she would wake.

She stirred again but still didn't wake, letting out a half-sigh, half-moan as she relaxed back into sleep again and Draco had to dig his fingernails into his palms to stop himself from doing anything. That was by far one of the most arousing sounds he had ever heard in his life and yet he was to stand here and do nothing. How could he possibly do nothing? She was at his mercy here and he had already decided that he wasn't going to take advantage of the situation no matter how much his body hated him for it. He had to get out. He wanted her desperately but it was too soon. Not caring if he made any more noise he burst out of the door and away from room 131.

OOO

Hermione stirred feeling the light silk of her pyjamas caressing her skin allowing the harsh morning rays to force her out of her blissful sleep. She lay still with her eyes closed for a little while allowing her senses to awaken fully before realising that she was in an unfamiliar bed. Frowning slightly she opened her eyes and took a look around the grand bed she was sprawled across quite ungraciously to be honest. She slowly sat up and readjusted her pyjamas which were in a state of disarray after her tossing and turning before remembering that she wasn't the only person who had in fact slept in the room.

She quickly grasped the sheet to her chest and looked about the room looking for any sign of him but it appeared as though he had already left. She rolled her eyes. _Some security guard._ The pressing urge to relieve herself was weighing on her but she stopped herself getting out of bed at the dreaded thought that he might be in the bathroom. Walking in on Draco Malfoy in the bathroom wasn't really on her list of things she wanted to see before she died…but then again…when she thought about it he had rather a delicious looking body from what she had seen of course back at Grimmauld Place when he had torn his shirt off in a state of panic. His flawless pale skin and sculpted muscles only eluded as to what _everything else_ might possibly look like.

"Oh Granger, get your mind out of the gutter." She scolded herself whilst knocking a fist against her head firmly trying to remove all of the images she was now formulating in her mind. She heard the hotel door close and she quickly jumped out of bed and swiped her wand from the bedside table before pressing herself against a wall hoping that the intruder wouldn't catch a glimpse of her before she could attack them. The sound of footsteps muffled by the carpet was getting ever closer and her fingers curled even tighter around the vine of her wand, the incantation was lingering on the tip of her tongue and all she needed now was her target. The silhouette came into view and she didn't hesitate.

"Petrificus Tot-" She started realising that her target wasn't an intruder but in fact her assigned protector holding a breakfast tray however her tongue didn't stop and she was only thankful that his reflexes were sharp. With a quick click of his fingers her wand was wrenched from her unbearably tight grasp and flew towards him. Placing his palm beneath the tray to balance it, he reached out with his free hand and caught her wand.

"Now, I think that might be bordering on domestic violence." He joked before drinking in her appearance eagerly. His gaze darkened. "Merlin's bollocks Granger, can't you put on some bloody clothes?!" He yelled exasperatedly causing the tray to tremor slightly with his anger.

Her face paled as she remembered her attire and so she dived for the bed snatching up the sheet and wrapping it firmly around her in a makeshift dress. "It wasn't my fault, I thought someone had broken in during the absence of my bodyguard. You scared the hell out of me." She retorted in an equal tone of annoyance.

"I'm sorry. I thought you were still in bed so I brought you breakfast." He admitted before holding out her wand for her to retake. She was momentarily stunned by the fact that he was being genuine for a change before shuffling awkwardly whilst trying to keep the sheet wrapped around her so she could take back her wand. She nodded in thanks and perched herself on one of the armchairs next to the breakfast tray.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" She asked him.

"I ate while waiting for you to get up."

"Oh? What time is it now?"

"About 11:45."

They fell into an uncomfortable silence for a moment, it felt odd to be civil again for both of them since it had been over two years since either of them had regarded the other with even the mildest of civility and so there was little more to say. She could feel his eyes raking over her and so she pulled the sheet tighter around herself, she felt vulnerable now, more so than what she had the previous night when he was dropping jokes and innuendos everywhere. Searching for something to say she eyed the breakfast tray and glanced longingly at the teapot with steam pouring from its spout, the almost invisible wisps intertwining as they rose out of view.

"Would you like some tea?" She asked hopefully, this seemed to snap him out of his reverie and his eyes immediately looked to anywhere else but her.

"Yes, tea would be good." He said a little too enthusiastically before sitting down opposite to her as she prepared the mugs. He watched her carefully and his heart rate rose as the bedsheet slipped off her shoulders with the increasing amount of movement she was making. Enough to reveal to him a bare shoulder void of the small black spaghetti strap and it took all his self-control to divert his gaze from the sweet curve of her neck to the milky skin that stretched over her slightly freckled shoulder.

"Let me do that." He almost growled and swatted her hands away gently before pouring the tea and stirring it wandlessly silently praying to every deity that he never believed in that she had thought to cover herself once again. "May I ask you a question?" He asked.

"Ask away."

"It's been years since you sent your parents away, so why have you decided to visit them now?"

"I-" She faltered slightly. "They're all I've got left, in the entire world. I mean, it was only the other day before I talked to Ginny back at Grimmauld that I've become a robot, I've changed and I'm lost. This isn't me at all. I don't know if you know Ginny that well at all but she was so crushed without Harry and I was confused, I mean why don't I miss my parents like that? Do they miss me that badly? I…" She trailed off once again and her face fell into a frown. "I don't know why I'm talking to _you_ of all people about this. I'm going to get dressed." She sighed before grabbing her purse from the bedside table and firmly locking herself in the bathroom leaving him to wonder what in Merlin's name a robot was.

When she emerged the awkwardness had been forgotten and she wished she could obliviate this morning's events from her mind but he didn't seem to notice and silently sipped on his tea and flicked through a copy of the Muggle Newspaper from the tray.

"When am I going to see my parents, I didn't come here for a jolly holiday you know, I have an election to win." She huffed, standing slightly frazzled with her hands on her hips wearing a pair of khaki cargo shorts that reached halfway down her thigh which had been paired with a loose white blouse that hung off her shoulder.

"Correction, Theodore Nott has an election to win. And you're supposed to be the brightest witch of our age." He muttered into the rim of his mug before taking a small sip.

"That didn't answer my question."

He sighed loudly and closed his paper before folding it and tossing it onto the tray. "Unfortunately for the both of us, I was dragged out here upon your whim to save your arse from any trouble that you're _bound_ to get yourself into out here and so I've had Potter go and check that your lovely Muggle parents' house is safe and void of magic and then you can have your little reconciliation. Sound good to you?"

"No. I'm not staying in here all day with you. Who knows what you'll try and pull."

He snickered. "Oh don't worry, the only thing I'm likely to be pulling is your head from out of the clouds. You are obsessed with the notion that I would even consider touching you."

She looked hurt for a moment but this was only due to old insecurities and she brushed it off quickly. She had learned better than to wear her emotions of her sleeve like the younger Hermione would, since everyone could read her like a book and she was sick and tired of having no private life. "The feeling is entirely mutual Malfoy. But like I said, I'm not spending another minute in here so don't wait up…_husband_." She sneered and grabbed her sunglasses from her purse before pushing them into her hair as a makeshift hairband as she stormed out of the room.

"Oh no you don't." He growled although she barely heard him over the slam of the door. He had really hit her where it had hurt the most since she had never even thought of herself as desirable to anyone at all since nobody had really made a move on her. Hell, she was 18 and she had never been kissed by anyone and it was all thanks to her _dear husband_ back at school. He was the one who had made snide remarks about her hair, her teeth, her blood status and that was only the beginning. Everybody was intimidated by her intelligence or by the fact that her best friends were Harry Potter and Ron Weasley and so she never really had a chance at all and for a while it hadn't bothered her that is until recently when she had no shoulder to cry on when Sirius died, or she watched each of her friends getting married or having children whilst she simply rotted away in resigned spinsterhood.

He had only been back in her life for a matter of days and she hated him already. It was as though his first months at the Order never happened, time apart and other events had forced them both to change however it was him who had changed for the worst, of that she was absolutely certain. She bottled up her emotions and stashed them away in a corner of her brain that was already overloading with all of the sorrow and anger that was threatening to explode soon enough. The elevator pinged and she shuffled inside, glad to see that Malfoy hadn't pursued her down the halls. She had had enough of him and his rudeness for one day, this was supposed to be a happy time where she was reunited with her parents but no she was running away from Malfoy yet again.

When the elevator doors parted again her face lit up as she saw someone with a familiar head full of messy raven hair striding towards her. She dashed out of the elevator and flew straight into Harry's embrace in the middle of the hotel lobby not caring who was looking.

"Jesus, 'Mione. I need to breathe." Harry gasped and she loosened her hold around his midriff causing him to wheeze as he caught his breath. "Some death grip you've got there." He smirked.

"Good morning Mrs Black." The receptionist called out cheerily to her whilst she eyed Harry and herself suspiciously. "Where is your husband this morning?"

"He's-" She started to reply before she felt an arm curl around her waist and his chest press against her back and her expression was one which could only be explained by Harry as severe annoyance.

"Right here." He breathed into her hair as he exchanged a knowing glance at Harry whilst Hermione's face paled at the intimate contact.

_So much for not wanting to touch me._

"Gawsh, you two make _the_ most perfect couple we've had here in ages!" The receptionist smiled.

_Perfect?! Has she lost her goddamn mind?! No way would I ever be seen willingly on the arm of this sleaze. We're not even a real couple. _

"Hear that sweetheart? We're a perfect couple." He feigned a smile and Hermione's stomach roiled.

"Oh, I wouldn't say we were _perfect _darling." She said trying to cover up her distaste at the idea.

"Well, I'd hate to interrupt you two…ahem…lovebirds whilst you're on your honeymoon because you _really_ look like you're having _so_ much fun after all however I come bearing news." He grinned before shifting his eyes towards the receptionist to indicate to the two that they required privacy.

"Shall we take a leisurely stroll out on the dunes?" Draco suggested smoothly and Harry nodded in agreement. He tucked Hermione's hand firmly in the crook of his elbow and felt her hesitation as she tried to apply as little pressure as possible as so not to touch him. Due to this he became quickly infuriated and was practically dragging Hermione out of the lobby with Harry in tow. What woman did _not _want to be able to touch him? What woman did _not _want his attentions? Well, obviously Hermione Granger for one but it made him even more determined and he became increasingly thankful for the whole marriage fiasco.

As soon as they were out of view she yanked her arm away from him and drew it as close into her person as she could as Harry and Draco raised their eyebrows at each other. Where his touch had been all over her mere minutes ago she could feel the skin still burning, tingling almost and it was a sensation was unfamiliar with. Her skin had broken out in goosebumps and it was something she could only really blame on her repulsion for him. Of course he was a nice bit of eye candy however his good looks were spoiled by his ugly personality or at least, what she had seen of it.

"Anyway, down to business." Harry cleared his throat. "Hermione, I know how badly you wanted to see your parents again so naturally I made it my first priority to ensure that the house was secure before you visited."

"Go on." She prompted trying to stop the smile from creeping upon her face in Malfoy's presence.

"Well I'm happy to say that there were no traces of any dark magic or magic of any sorts around their house so I can officially give you the all clear." Harry smiled and Hermione squealed in delight before flinging herself at Harry again almost knocking him off his feet.

"Honestly,_wife._ Anybody would think you didn't love me." Draco feigned hurt as he watched her touching Potter so freely.

"Well, _husband._ I think it's obvious to everyone that I evidently don't." She retorted.

"Not to the receptionist."

"Give it a rest you two, you can fight later when I'm not here to listen to it." Harry chuckled at the two of them. He could almost touch the tension between the two of them and he knew it might only be a matter of time now but on second thoughts, Hermione was smarter than that. "Just remember Hermione, don't spend too much time around them. I know it's an unreasonable request especially considering that you haven't seen them in two years but remember this is Australia, uncharted territory and we don't know what Death Eaters might be lurking out here."

"That's more than just an unreasonable request Harry. I'm here only for a few short days and you expect me to not only spend most of it away from my parents but with this oaf." She gestured in Draco's direction before promptly bursting out laughing at the silly insult that she had just let slip. In fact it sounded to Harry more like an endearment although he was slightly disturbed at Hermione's emotions quickly switching again.

"Honestly, of all the insults I've heard Granger, I must say that 'oaf' has topped the list. Congratulations." Draco muttered sardonically. "However, Orphan over here is right. You don't want to put them at risk right?" He shot a sneaky glance in Harry's direction who quickly reacquainted Draco with his middle finger.

"Of course not." She sighed. "I just hate having so many goddamn restrictions."

"Don't we all." He replied monotonously.

"Well, as much as I'd _love_ to stay and chat, I have some rather pressing business which I should have been doing right now so Hermione you'd better love me for putting my neck on the block for you. You might not see me again for the duration of my visit but I will owl." He promised.

"I do love you Harry and you know it. Now be gone Mr.I-Have-Business-To-Attend-To." She smirked and he pulled her into a hug before disapparating. "Well Malfoy, I hope you're up for a little visit to a Muggle house?" Hermione smirked noting the look of discomfort on his face. She was going to use this to her advantage.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

* * *

**_Chapter XIV_**

Draco sighed in annoyance for the fifth time as he tapped his foot. Granger had insisted that she needed to change into something more appropriate to meet her parents again and ignoring his protests she still skipped back into the hotel and towards their room with a grumbling Draco trailing after her.

"Oh come on Granger, we're going to be here all bloody day at this rate." He scowled.

"Shut up Malfoy, I need to look presentable." Came the muffled reply from the bathroom.

"I didn't take you as one to dress to impress." He mocked and he could clearly picture her rolling her eyes at his comment.

"I'm not trying to impress." She almost shouted as she yanked the bathroom door open and looked at him straight in the face with her eyes narrowed in irritation. His gaze travelled from her eyes down her body and his eyebrow raised in approval. She had swapped her revealing shorts for a pair of skinny fitting dark faded jeans which clung to her curves in a flattering way. Her blouse had been replaced by a simple black top with a fitted cream blazer over the top. She began to collect her things around the room and Draco stood rooted to the spot for a moment before turning around only to be greeted with a perfect view of her behind in what had now become his favourite jeans. His eyes rolled back into his head as his imagination ran wild with all the things he would like to do with her as he tried to suppress a groan. She however didn't notice his struggling, and worst of all she probably didn't even know how much of a tease she really was.

He palmed his pockets and felt the jagged shape of the car keys in his pocket which Harry had given to him shortly before and tossed them over to Hermione who being as clumsy as she was missed the catch and had to bend down to pick them up off the floor giving Draco a second viewing. He could feel his groin stirring and tried to think repulsive thoughts as so to prevent getting a _certain problem_ which he was sure he wouldn't be able to tend to for a good few hours yet. He shuffled about trying to readjust his _problem_ and thanked the Gods that he hadn't worn slim-fitting trousers.

When she had checked her appearance for the millionth time in the mirror she walked to the door with Draco walking behind her, both of them suspended in an awkward silence. Once they had arrived in the hotel lobby, Draco had seen the receptionist smiling at the two of them and so he curled his arm around Hermione's waist and felt her stiffen slightly although not as much as she had the first time however he was still irritated that she didn't seem to like it when he touched her.

Upon leaving the hotel, he was half expecting her to shrug out of his grasp but much to his astonishment, she didn't do anything of the sort and so he daringly stroked her tenderly with his thumb as he watched her carefully out of the corner of his eye. She, in the meantime was trying hard to ensure that her breathing was steady as his thumb repeatedly left trails of fire through the cloth of her blazer, scorching the skin of her hip.

They reached the familiar Mercedes and she swiftly unlocked the car before Draco opened the driver's side door for her since he couldn't drive and held it for her as she got in and plugged in her seatbelt. Once he shut her door she let out a shaky breath, unsure of what actually was going on. Was she cared because of the anticipation of seeing her parents again? Or was it something to do with her platinum haired protector?

She dug through her purse quickly as he walked around the car and fished out her iPod before plugging it into the car. She didn't want to have to sit in another awkward silence with him let alone have her thoughts straying whilst she was trying to drive which she thought would be almost impossible in her state of confusion. She flicked through her playlists and decided on having a session of _Thriving Ivory_, then as soon as Draco was in the car and strapped in, she started up the car and began to drive.

The roads were pretty clear and she had no trouble with the car, just its other passenger who seemed adamant on staring at her throughout the whole time that she was trying to concentrate on the road whilst trying to remember the directions she had memorised earlier that day that would get her to her parent's house.

He was fascinated as he watched her leaning forward over the steering wheel to look around particularly tricky corners or tapping her fingernails on the wheel as she waited patiently at the traffic lights but what he was most mesmerized by was how she chewed absent-mindedly on her bottom lip, wetting it frequently as she refused to look at him or even talk to him. He was puzzled as to why she let him touch her, it was a gesture so simple yet at the same time it was so intimate and he knew she was probably analysing it in that brilliant little brain of hers.

He heard her gasp slightly as she turned into one street and he saw her face light up slightly as she looked at the numbers on each of the doors hoping to find the one which belonged to her parents. She abruptly swerved the car and pulled up into the extensive but empty driveway of one of the houses. It was quite a picturesque house, it fit the style of the whole street. Although it was two storeys, it was wider than it was taller giving it a modern yet homey look.

She still hadn't gotten out of the car. Her stomach was churning in nervousness. She hadn't seen her parents in two years and chided herself for not thinking of bringing a gift of some sort to make up for the lost birthdays and Christmases.

"Are you ready?" He asked carefully as she uncurled her fingers from the death grip she had on the steering wheel and knotted them in her lap. She pondered for a moment before acutely nodding her head and so he got out of the car first making sure his wand was on hand just in case and opened her door, offering her his hand to help her out.

She locked the car and they walked together up the flagstone path which led to the front door. She paused for a moment outside the dark wooden door and exhaled deeply before looking down at her attire once more and smoothing out the invisible creases. It was now or never. She raised a hesitant hand and stretched her forefinger towards the button of the doorbell before her nerves got the better of her and she stopped her pursuit and drew back her finger slightly so it was still hovering in mid-air. She closed her eyes and with all the determination she could muster she pressed the doorbell which she could hear echoing throughout the house.

"You know, maybe this wasn't such a good idea." She said hastily. "It's been far too long for me to just turn up out of the blue-" Her eyes were shifting rapidly.

"So much for Gryffindor courage." Draco rolled his eyes.

"You're not helping!" She snapped.

"I'm sorry. Look you can do this and I know it will be of little comfort but you're not in this alone." He reassured her and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips although it didn't meet her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped when she heard the click of the door opening to reveal the ageing face of her mother who readjusted her glasses slightly as she frowned at Hermione.

"Hermione?" Was all the woman could muster with a shaky breath as tears misted in her emerald green eyes.

"Hi Mom." Hermione almost whispered back whilst Draco shifted uncomfortably, he felt like he was intruding upon a private moment and didn't like the feeling. By observing Mrs Granger, Draco could tell where Hermione got her good looks...well, just looks. Mrs Granger was almost like an older version of Hermione although her hair was lighter and significantly tamer. She pulled Hermione roughly into her arms, smothering her almost as she sobbed into her unruly hair.

"My baby, I've missed you so much kitten!" She wailed and drew Hermione back so she could look at her face again which was now stained with tear streaks. "I was so worried about you." Came Mrs Granger's strangled cry as she kissed her daughter lovingly on the forehead before stroking her hair between her fingers lovingly. The two Granger's held each other for a little while longer before Hermione remembered that Draco had been there to witness that whole episode. She turned her head awkwardly in her Mother's grasp to see Draco pacing about the drive. She sniffled and rubbed her nose before escaping her Mother's grasp.

"Wait until your Father sees you." She smiled fondly. "Come in kitten." Hermione looked over at Draco and Mrs Granger followed her gaze. "Who is that handsome young man then?" She teased.

"That is my protection while I'm here." Hermione stated.

"Good catch kitten, he really is fetching and he can protect you too!" Mrs Granger gasped.

"Mom, please. Malfoy and I are _not_ dating but that doesn't mean you can drool all over him." Hermione chuckled.

"Well, invite him in. I'm sure your Father would love to meet your boyfriend." Mrs Granger prompted and Hermione glared at her threateningly. "Either you do it or I will."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Malfoy!" She called and Draco's head snapped up to look at the two women. He had to resist the urge to smirk after hearing the conversation between the two concerning him. She gestured for him to come over to her and so he did whilst planning on making a good impression on Hermione's family. He put on his most dazzling smile as he strode over to the two women.

"So, you must be Malfoy?" Mrs Granger asked politely holding out her hand to shake and Draco chuckled slightly since her address for him had sounded so much like Granger's.

"Draco Malfoy." Draco smiled. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs Granger." He muttered as he took Mrs Granger's hand and kissed it lightly.

"Oh, do call me Anne." She insisted before inviting the two into the house and running excitedly to the base of the stairs. "Richard! Do come quickly, someone is here to see you!" She shouted enthusiastically.

"What was that!?" Hermione hissed in Draco's direction while her Mother was busy shouting.

"What was what?" He asked feigning stupidity. She narrowed her eyes at him. "That? I was greeting your Mother."

"Yes but you didn't have to be so…chivalrous about it…" She trailed off.

"Chivalry is a second nature to me sweetheart. Get used to it." He smiled sweetly at her and she scoffed as she formulated a witty response but stopped mid-thought.

"Is that you kitten?" Came her Father's weak voice from the top of the stairs. Hermione smiled and stepped away from Draco and towards the base of the stairs. She noted that her Father had aged since she had last seen him. The grey hairs at the sides of his head were more visible now as he approached 50 years of age but his smile was one thing that wouldn't change, accompanied by the twinkle in his chocolate brown eyes.

He descended the stairs hurriedly and took his daughter into his arms much like her mother had although Mr Granger didn't cry like Anne had. He pressed a kiss to his daughter's temple as she revelling in her Father's embrace once more with the same smell of his cologne flooding her nostrils once again and for the first time in what felt like a long time, she felt as though she were at home.

When they parted from their embrace Mr Granger eyed Draco warily before approaching him and offering his hand to shake. "Who might you be?" He asked.

"Draco Malfoy, sir. I'm here for your daughter's protection."

"Well in that case, thank you and pleased to meet you." Mr Granger smiled cheerily as he released Draco's hand before he could reply.

"Well, it looks like you came just on time because I was about to serve dinner." Anne beamed. "Hermione would you come and help me set the table, kitten?" She asked. Hermione's gaze flickered to Draco who looked uncomfortable at the prospect of being left alone with her Father. She pressed her lips together to hide her smile and followed her Mother through the halls and into the kitchen where the smell of a perfectly cooked roast duck enveloped her.

Her Mother began to hand her bits of silverware as well as some napkins to lay out on the table. Through the archway between the dining room and the hall, she could see her Father and Draco making polite conversation although by his stiff manner she could tell he felt uncomfortable even if it were only slight. Her Mother began chatting cheerily to Hermione as she skipped in and out of the dining room wearing her favourite '_No bitchin' in my kitchen' _apron which her Father had bought as a joke many years ago, she was also equipped with the ultra-thick oven mitts as she carried in various dishes of vegetables and sauces as well as Hermione's favourite gravy boat.

Hermione lined up the silverware and placed it around each of the placemats accompanied by the napkins which she had made into swans as she waited for her Mother to dish up the duck. When she had finished she looked out into the hallway once more to see her Father and Draco had disappeared so she set off in search of the two who had ended up in her Father's study where he appeared to be teaching Draco the fundamentals of dentistry. Hermione could've laughed but decided it might be time to rescue Draco in case her Father offered to have a look at his teeth.

"Sorry to interrupt but dinner is ready now." She announced whilst trying to hold a straight face at Draco's obvious look of relief at her entrance. They walked together back down the stairs towards the dining room just as her Mother had set down the last of the food as her Father continued rambling on about the importance of flossing to Draco in the background which was pointless since she was sure Draco didn't even know what floss was.

Her Father walked over to her Mother as she took off her apron and pecked her cheek before taking her apron from her hands and drawing out her chair for her to sit. Draco dutifully strolled over to Hermione before drawing her chair for her. His close proximity made her cheeks heat up and she became quickly flustered at remembering his gentle caresses and it didn't help that his hand lingered near the curve of her neck after her released the back of the chair.

After they were all seated and said Grace, they all tucked into the delicious meal that her Mother had prepared for them as they all caught up over the past two years, even Draco got involved too. It turned out that her parents shared joint ownership in their new dental practice which funded their rather elaborate lifestyle. They were both in good health although her Father had had a cancer scare last year however it had proved to be quickly curable much to Hermione's relief but most importantly, they hadn't had any contact with any witch or wizard since they had left and nobody had come looking for them.

They had all just finished laughing again at her Father's story of when Robbie Fenwick had bitten her Father causing him to have stitches in his hand when her Mother piped up.

"Oh my, that one never fails to get me going. Hermione darling, go and fetch the bottle of red from the kitchen. I'll get the glasses." She smiled as they both got up from the table and walked towards the kitchen. "Well, I've got to say. Draco is a rather amiable fellow isn't he?" Her Mother teased again as Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Of course Mom." She muttered monotonously as she handed her the bottle of wine, now uncorked. Her Mother set out four glasses and began to pour the wine. "I'll pass. I can't drink." Hermione stated and her Mother's movement halted.

"Aha, next thing you'll be telling me you're pregnant." Her Mother chuckled to herself.

"Don't worry, there's absolutely no chance of that happening, Mom. Be realistic. I'm a politician, nobody would come near me with a ten foot pole." She sighed aloud.

"So you were being serious, you and Draco aren't dating?" She asked shocked.

"Of course not. Why would you say that?" Hermione asked.

"Well I only thought you were pretending for your Father's sanity. In that case you really should've seen the way he was looking at you throughout dinner."

"Mom, you saw what you wanted to see. Are you sure your glasses are of the right magnification?" She laughed nervously.

"You were looking at him too you know." She pointed out.

"Mom, there's nothing going on between us, okay? He's here for my protection, it's strictly business." She affirmed.

"So you don't feel anything for him at all?" She asked.

"Nothing except hatred. Which I might add is mutual."

"Some say that love and hate are two sides of the same coin. Now it's your turn to be realistic kitten, do you really want to be alone forever? Because I'm getting older and I want some beautiful grandchildren to spoil before you tuck me away in a home." She joked.

"I'll never dump you in a home, Mom." She reassured her.

"Don't change the topic. I don't want you to grow old with regrets Hermione, I know you will because I do for wasting my life by working. Don't get me wrong, I love my work but after I'm gone I won't be remembered for the work I did. I'll be remembered by the people who knew me, most especially you. My only regret is that I didn't have any more children." She sighed wistfully.

"I still have time, I'm almost 20."

"You are, but once day you'll wake up and you'll be 45 and on the brink of menopause with nobody to share your life with kitten."

Hermione remained silent for a moment and let her Mother's words sink in. Nobody had ever put it like that before and it scared her a little to be truly honest.

"Anne? What's taking you so long? Come on!" Her Father yelled cheerily and so Hermione and her Mother grabbed the glasses and wine before making a dash into the Dining Room.

"Oh, kitten? A little sip won't hurt you know." Her Mother nodded towards the glasses in Hermione's hand.

They rejoined the group in the living room and sat down, carrying on their conversations and sipping on their wine and before any of them knew it, it was already 11pm and Hermione had consumed far too much alcohol to be driving.

"Oh bugger." Hermione exclaimed. "I can't drive noooowwww." She dramatically smacked her hand to her head before giggling slightly. She hadn't consumed a lot of wine but it was evident she couldn't hold her drink very well.

"It's fine, we'll apparate." Draco reassured her. She nodded her head and stood up before swaying slightly and clutching her head. "On second thought, side-along apparation might be a better idea. We'll be back for the car tomorrow."

"Oh, if you're coming back would you like to go out to dinner tomorrow evening? I think I'd like to spend a little more time with my daughter before she goes back." Anne smiled at Draco and Mr Granger nodded in agreement.

"I'll mention it to Hermione when she's a little more…sober…" Draco chuckled and bid his goodbyes to Hermione's parents before noticing that Hermione herself was flat out on the sofa. Instead of waking her, he scooped her up into his arms as Mr and Mrs Granger walked them to the door.

"If it's alright with you, I'll apparate from here. Can't risk the Muggles seeing, you know?" He said.

"By all means dear." Mrs Granger smiled. "Take _good_ care of her." She said knowingly and Mr Granger nodded in agreement. Draco muttered one more goodbye before disapparating with an unconscious Hermione in his arms after hearing Mrs Granger's appreciative mutters of '_Such a gentleman'. _They ended up in the middle of the dunes where they were walking with Harry earlier that day however it was pitch black with the night so it was perfect coverage from Muggles. He carried her across the dunes and noticed how small and delicate she really was, it was a little ironic considering her personality was anything but.

He continued with ease through the hotel lobby where the receptionist smiled sweetly at the two of them before he stepped into the elevator being careful that she didn't hit her legs off any of the walls. Her head was cradled in the crook of his elbow and her hair spilled over his arm in a chestnut veil of curls. When he got to the room he placed her gently on the golden sheets before slipping her shoes and jacket off so she was left only clad in her jeans and black vest top. He would have changed her since he knew how uncomfortable sleeping in jeans was but he thought it a step too far and knew she wouldn't appreciate it, especially since he had heard her practically admit that she was a virgin to her Mother. He drew back the cover and shifted her slowly as so not to wake her until she was covered by the sheet before stepping away heading towards his sofa for the night.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_I've been writing a lot recently so enjoy my frequent updates while they last! I'm just eager to start writing the better bits really so kudos to me for my enthusiasm!_

* * *

**_Chapter XV_**

When Hermione woke up the next morning, she was greeted by a pounding headache. She felt as though hippogriffs had had a party inside her head. She propped herself up so that the sheet fell from her torso to reveal that she was still fully dressed. She couldn't remember getting into bed, in fact she couldn't even remember leaving her parents' home. Looking around the room, she noticed that Draco was already up and so she decided to get up and dressed before he got back. Checking the clock, she almost jumped out of her skin. It was nearly 12pm! She tumbled out of bed and jumped into the shower determined to wash the grogginess of her hangover, she was in and out in record time wrapping herself firmly in a towel before cautiously searching about the bedroom for her purse which contained her clothes.

She looked everywhere around the room and still no sign of her purse. She cursed loudly and sat on the bed, clutching her towel to her chest, she must've left it at her parents' house. _Bloody wonderful, I'm stuck in a hotel room with no clean clothes. _The door opened and her eyes widened, she pulled the towel closer.

"Malfoy, don't look!" She cried.

"Why?" He asked as he continued walking. Too late. "Holy shit." He breathed before turning away to face the door. Hermione Granger clad in only a towel was a welcoming sight.

"I told you not to look! Where's my purse?" She asked.

"Wrapped in your blazer." He answered and she leapt up off the bed and grabbed her purse before dashing into the bathroom.

"What happened last night? I don't remember much." She asked when she emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed.

"I'd be surprised if you did. You're such a lightweight Granger. Anyway, since _someone_ was in absolutely no state to drive we had to apparate. By '_we'_ I mean me since you had passed out on your parents' sofa. We're also invited to dinner however we left the car so we are going to have to walk."

She groaned again and threw her head into her hands. "Why can't we apparate like last night?"

"Are you stupid? There are way too many people out there, any of which could be a death eater and so if we leave any traces of apparation then we're exposed." He exploded.

"Alright, calm down. I'm still a little fuzzy okay?" She sighed. His shoulders which were previously tense sagged and he dug into his pockets and pulled out a little vial of a buttery yellow concoction which he handed to her.

"Hangover potion." He reassured her as she uncorked the lid and tipped her head back, exposing her neck as she downed the potion. She shuddered at the revolting taste before handing him the vial back and felt the warmth spread from her stomach and wash over her head, significantly dulling the awful effects of her hangover. "Better?" He asked.

"Much." She affirmed. "Shall we be off then? I need to apologise for my behaviour last night, it was most undignified."

"It wasn't that bad, but I suppose we have nothing else to do. Let's go." She grabbed her purse and walked towards the door, closely followed by him. He opened the door for her and placed his hand on the small of her back, guiding her out of the room and she quickly became aware of wherever he touched her. She tried to remain impartial and continued walking as normal contemplating on whether to tell him to get off her but then again, she didn't really want him to however he might then get ideas that he could touch her at will which he would no doubt gain some sick pleasure over. _It's just for the act. Just for the act. You're married remember? You're just lucky he's not going further. _ She shuddered. If this is what she felt like at a simple touch then what would the real thing feel like? _Granger! Get your mind out of the gutter._ She scolded herself inwardly as she worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

They walked out of the hotel together into the unrelenting heat of the Australian summer with his arm still placed firmly around her waist. She squinted at the brightness of the light and pulled her sunglasses down from their resting place atop her head as they began their journey to her parents' house. Along the way they chatted heartily and freely mostly talking of Hogwarts since it was an easy topic to discuss and she managed to clear up a few rumours about what had actually occurred during each school year since he had only heard the gossip versions and Harry hadn't liked to bask in glory so he wouldn't speak of it much.

"Seriously! You had one of the most impressive magical artefacts in your possession and you used it to take extra classes? You really are the epitome of nerdiness, Granger." He chuckled as they strolled through the suburbs.

"I had too many classes and I didn't particularly want to drop any that year. That is apart from divination, that's the biggest load of hippogriff shit I've ever heard." She laughed.

"I disagree, of course Professor Trelawney was a bit of a ponce, however the subject itself is quite fascinating. You're just too hooked up on logic to think that someone could possibly predict the future."

"Well considering every time I walked into the classroom she decided that something or other was going to kill me that week, I decided that it was a little unlikely." She deadpanned causing him to burst out laughing. It was an unusual sound since she had never really heard it much during her time with him with the exception of last night with her parents.

Draco himself was a seer which was why he took interest in divination however this was one thing that came with his power although it was something that nobody else knew of but himself. Because it was untrained, his visions happened rarely and he couldn't summon this power at will no matter how hard he tried. It had only happened once, those years ago when he foresaw being ordered to kill Dumbledore.

"So what happened to the time turner then? Do you still have it?"

"Goodness no!" She exclaimed. "With an artefact of that magnitude in my possession came a wealth of responsibility as well as the potential to possibly destroy the fabric of time itself. Imagine if a dark wizard got a hold of it? Then where would we all be? I gave it to the Ministry and they had it destroyed."

"You're too noble sometimes." He muttered as they walked up the flagstone path leading to the front door of Hermione's parents' house on Sycamore Grove with their Mercedes parked outside the garage, just as they had left it. They walked up just as her parents were locking up.

"Oh Hermione! Are you feeling a little better this morning kitten?" Her Mother asked as she hurried over, pulling her daughter into a hug.

"Yes, much better Mom. Were you about to go out? We can come back later."

"Nonsense. We were about to go shopping but since you're here you can come with us, it's been a long while since I've been out shopping with my little girl." She beamed.

"Okay, we can take the car." Hermione offered.

"That's a wonderful idea kitten, then we can all go out for dinner before you go home."

_Home?_ Hermione had forgotten all about her home in Britain while she had been out here and to be honest, she wished she never had to leave. Out here, she wasn't anybody. She wasn't the main contender for Undersecretary to the Minister, she was just the dentist's daughter. She had no responsibilities, no real danger to be getting herself into. If this was what a normal life was like, she yearned for it more than ever. In fact she was even warming to the idea of Draco being with her here now, her parents had warmed to him considerably although she wasn't sure her Father would be so accepting if they were actually involved like her Mother thought they were. But then again would she really mind being involved with Malfoy? She stopped that train of thought in its tracks. She couldn't fathom having to go home in less than two days, she wanted to stay here forever so she could forget about everything including the looming threat of war over her head. She sighed loudly.

"Granger?" Draco whispered. "You zoned out there, frightened your Mother a little."

"Oh. Really?" She asked glumly.

His brow furrowed as he studied her. "What's on your mind?"

She shook her head. "Nothing for you to worry about." She said gently as so not to offend him. He unlocked the car and handed her the key as she got in before he got into the passenger seat with her parents in the backseat. They directed her to a nearby shopping centre where they intended to spend the afternoon which took about 10 minutes in the car although this time Draco made sure not to watch Hermione whilst she drove since her Father was in the back of the car probably watching him like a hawk despite the fact that the two of them got on quite well.

They parked the car and began walking around the shops together until Mrs Granger had a bright idea.

"Oh. Hermione, I was up here the other week and I saw something that would look lovely on you. Let me show you." She held out her hand to Hermione. "Richard, are you coming?" She asked.

"No, no. You ladies go and have fun spending my hard earned money. Meanwhile I need to look for some good hooks. You in Draco?" He asked and Draco automatically nodded. He remembered Mr Granger mention something about fishing the previous night although he wasn't really listening much, he was far too busy mulling over the fact that his own family had never been as welcoming as this around anyone, not even him but to him that was normal so it was quite odd to be fussed over by Mrs Granger.

Hermione and her Mother parted from the men and her Mother dragged her by her wrist eagerly through the mass of people in the crowd until she found herself standing in the coolness of one of the shops in front of a mannequin modelling a spectacular little dress. It was a white sleeveless A-line dress, which reached to the knees of the mannequin, around the waist was a black strip of satin tied to make a bow at the front whereas the rest of the dress was made of chiffon. It was very simplistic in design but very elegant at the same time.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Her Mother asked and Hermione wordlessly nodded her head. "Good because you're going to try one on. Then I will buy it for you."

"Mom, I couldn't possibly accept this." Hermione babbled.

"You always were a modest little thing. I haven't seen you in two years almost kitten, I'm sure you can let this one slip? For me?" Her Mother pouted slightly and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I don't like charity but if it means that much to you then I'll let it slide for this time only." She said sternly and her Mother broke out into a smile.

"Wonderful!" She exclaimed and turned around and began sorting through the rack behind her trying to find the right size. "You haven't changed size since I last saw you, have you kitten?"

"Nope, still the same as ever." She sighed as her Mother thrust the garment into her hands before ushering her into the changing rooms. She changed with extra care making sure she didn't damage the dress and awkwardly reached behind her back to zip it up. She admired herself in the mirror provided, her Mother really was right, it looked lovely. Correction, _she_ looked lovely which as something she wouldn't often admit. The dress brought out her curves more than she would ever normally dare and it made her dark hair stand out against the white of the dress.

"Kitten, are you alright in there?" Came her Mother's voice.

"Yes, you can come in now." Hermione called back, she'd rather her Mother come in and see rather than go out and have the whole department store ogling her. The curtain was drawn back to reveal her Mother who stopped in her tracks at seeing Hermione standing there. She smiled lovingly at her only daughter.

"Oh yes, I was right as always. Mother knows best!" She chimed. "You look beautiful Hermione."

Hermione blushed slightly at her Mother. Both were too caught up in the moment to notice a beetle scurrying out from under the changing room curtain. Her Mother paid for the dress after she had changed out of it and they exited the shop to go and meet up with her Father and Draco who they bumped into just outside the shop.

"There you go kitten. Mommy's treat." She smiled fondly as they both remembered when Hermione was little and her Mother would take her out shopping even for something as simple as food but each time she would never fail to buy Hermione a 'Mommy's treat'. And now here she was, verging on 20 years old and my how time had flown.

"It took you long enough!" Mr Granger chuckled. "What'd you get nice kitten?"

Hermione clutched her bag tighter. "You'll have to wait and see later." She said slyly and Draco smirked slightly. Mr Granger took his wife's arm and they walked together through the crowd with Draco and Hermione in tow.

"How'd shopping with my Dad go?" Hermione teased.

"Don't start, I don't think I've seen so much Muggle tools of torture in my life. It didn't help that your Father kept looking at me like he was threatening me with the hooks if I ever decided to overstep the mark with you." He chuckled.

Her face darkened a little as she remembered his words from a few days previous '_You are obsessed with the notion that I would even consider touching you_' "Well don't worry, like you said, there's no chance of that happening." _Since I'm that repulsive to you._ She added in her head before picking up her pace a little so she was walking ahead of him. He raised his eyebrows confused as she stalked off after her parents. _Women._ He rolled his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets and continued after them.

OOO

She didn't talk to him again for the whole journey back to her parents' house which left him more and more puzzled for each additional minute she ignored him. When they arrived back at the house she went about her own business and asked to be left alone leaving her parents as well as Draco confused. She lay on the swinging bench in the back garden trying to pull herself out of her foul mood. She couldn't fathom why she'd been so vindictive towards him earlier, he was being genuine for a change although he had played on her insecurities multiple times throughout their visit making her self-confidence sink even lower so it was practically at rock bottom to the extent where dressing up and trying looking pretty almost brought her to tears.

The sky was turning a pinky-orange when her Mother finally decided enough was enough and went to talk her straight. They were going out to dinner in a few moments and she wasn't going to sit there with a solemn Hermione at the table. She fiddled with her bracelet and paused in the conservatory looking out at her daughter. She had already changed into the pretty little dress that she had bought for her earlier that day and she had styled her hair so the top half was swept up into an elegant knot while the layer underneath was free and fell in soft waves down her back.

Anne watched as her daughter crossed her arms over the back of the swinging bench and rested her head on top of them as she peered into the small pond to look at her reflection. She sat there for a while looking at it before Anne noticed that her shoulders started to shake slightly. She was crying. Anne's heart broke and she decided to make herself known. She took her heels off and held them in one hand as she crept silently across the artificial grass that her husband had lain the year previous. When she reached the swinging bench, she could audibly hear Hermione's muffled sobbing. This was worse than she had thought, Hermione hadn't done this since after she come home following her second year at Hogwarts when a particularly rude little boy whose name escaped her had called her daughter a particularly foul name although she had managed to cheer her up when she told her to punch the little rascal if he ever said it again. She placed her hand on Hermione's shoulder and heard her sharp intake of breath.

"Kitten, what's wrong?"

_I think I might be attracted to Malfoy._

Hermione sniffed. "Nothing, I just needed a good cry."

_Holy shit._

"I'm your Mother, you can't fool me. Tell me what's wrong kitten."

_I'm attracted to Malfoy._

"Mom please, I'm not talking to you about it! Talking about it will make things worse and I will cry more which I refuse to do since it will only humiliate me more. I'd rather we just forget about this and go to dinner." She snapped and stood up and smoothed down her new dress before wiping her puffy eyes which were now sore.

Anne's lip trembled. "You used to tell me everything you know." She choked. "I never even had to ask and you could talk to me freely." Hermione stiffened at her Mother's words. "I feel like I don't even know my own daughter anymore." Came her strangled sob as she stood up and walked past Hermione and into the house before she lost control completely and made Hermione feel even guiltier. She hadn't set out to hurt her daughter with her words but they slipped out after being bottled up for so long. Hermione had neglected to write in the two years that they had been parted and she felt as though she was losing her forever which was why she had tried to make an extra effort to spend time with her while she could.

Hermione ran after her Mother with tears threatening her own eyes. She found her Mother sobbing quietly into the shoulder of her Father and she instantly felt guilty for giving her Mother the cold shoulder despite how welcoming she had been after two years of no communication. She was about to step towards her Mother when Draco stepped in front of her and herded her back outside into the garden and shut the conservatory door firmly. He hadn't really wanted to, but Mr Granger had sent him a pleading look and so he had to oblige. She scowled and turned away from him clenching her fists in anger. Then he got his first proper look at the dress she was wearing and he couldn't stop himself.

"You look beautiful." She stiffened and he instantly regretted letting the words slip from his mouth.

"Don't lie to me." She said sternly and he was instantly taken aback.

"Merlin Granger, why would I lie about a compliment?" He asked, exasperated.

"Because you're contradicting yourself as always and it confuses the shit out of me." She let out a humourless laugh.

"I don't understand." He said, furrowing his brow.

"No. You wouldn't, would you? First you're telling me you wouldn't even consider touching me, and then you've got your hands all over me. You play on my insecurities, and then you tell me I'm beautiful. I can't stand this charade, why can't you just be genuine rather than hide behind all those snarky remarks you hurl my way."

"Is this what today was all about? Really?" He asked.

"You make me sound so pitiable and petty. Well you know what Malfoy, it means a lot to me when I'm being played, okay? So I'd like you to stop putting me down and then leading me on because it hurts." She said shakily. "Congratulations. You've finally reduced me to the pitiable mess you see before you, go and brag about it to all of your chums and have a jolly good laugh about me." She waved a hand dismissively in his direction but he didn't move. Being a man of little words and more of a man of action, he stepped forward towards her and turned her around by her shoulder. Her breathing hitched as his hand cupped her chin and guided her face close to his so he could place his lips on hers.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, just a heads up. Things get a little dark in this chapter and quite descriptive too so it might be upsetting to the more sensitive readers out there. _

* * *

**_Chapter XVI_**

Had he expected that she had felt this way he would have swooped in much sooner. Did he feel bad for confusing her? No, because it was the same confusion he had been lost in since the little drama at the airport. Ever since then she had flirted with him, she had insulted him, she had been friendly with him, she had let him touch her and then she had brushed it off as though it were nothing. He was on the verge of making this known to her but when he had turned her around and seen the pain and tears swirling in those chocolate brown orbs, he knew he couldn't do it. Besides, he didn't want to ruin what might be his only chance at finally getting her out of his system once and for all.

He was quite shocked that she had let him kiss her, if he had known that was all it took then he would have played that card days ago. Hey, he was a Slytherin, it's not like he wasn't going to take advantage of the fact that she was upset.

She never expected her first kiss to be with Draco Malfoy. In fact she had never even expected to get this far with anybody romantically in her entire life, she had seriously thought she would spend her life alone with cats, she had even gone as far as naming a few of them. Yet here she was now, allowing Malfoy to kiss her, and even worse she kissing him back with fervour. A million questions passed through her head as their lips merged together. What was he feeling? Was she adequate? Too sloppy? Too toothy? She shut the voice up inside her head and daringly raised her hands to run them through his silky platinum locks. He groaned into her mouth and she could feel the vibrations it created causing her to let out a little involuntary whimper in return. He liked this so far, and she certainly did. He nipped her bottom lip with his teeth before running his tongue over it soothingly as his hands moved from her shoulders, down her arms, until they settled just above her behind.

A blinding flash of light caused him to break off the kiss as they both turned to see a silver stag galloping through the air towards them, leaving silver wisps of magic behind it. He stepped forwards away from her and she needed to take a moment to catch her breath. She had just had her first kiss. At the age of 19, she had had her first kiss and it really was everything that the romance novels painted it out to be. Her heart was beating erratically in her chest although she could feel her pulse everywhere as her blood strained through her veins. Her lips were tingling and felt slightly sore as a result of the force she had kissed him with.

She would have stepped forward to receive the patronus with him since it was evidently from Harry and so must've concerned her too. However her knees still felt quite weak due to the adrenaline that was pouring into her bloodstream causing her to go into a state of shock almost. Luckily for her the patronus was still within hearing range when she heard Harry's voice.

"_Malfoy, I checked in at the Hotel but you weren't there, I assume all is well? I've recently come back from the business I was occupied with which I would like to discuss in more detail with you. If you would meet me back where I left you last time, I will explain."_

The silver stag began to wither and fade before her eyes as the echo of Harry's voice weakened with it. Draco turned to her and she flushed instantly wanting to avoid his smouldering eyes the best that she could. She had no idea what she could possibly say now, she had come onto him and so she couldn't really act as though he didn't affect her anymore. She shifted uncomfortable and if she had looked up, she would have seen humour in his eyes.

"Well, as much as I was enjoying myself it seems as though I need to go and check on the Orphan." He chuckled. "I can't imagine it will take too long although I must ask you to make my excuses to your parents."

"Of course." She muttered.

"I trust you will be alright to go to dinner without me to accompany you?"

"I'll be fine, go and see Harry. It must be important."

He sighed and brushed his knuckle across her cheek before trailing it down to her chin where he guided her face until it was hovering mere centimetres away from his own and she could feel his warm breath against her own lips. Her stomach was doing flips as she anticipated a second kiss however he moved his mouth towards her ear.

"Of course." He whispered devilishly before moving completely away from her, leaving her still leaning in towards where he had been with her eyes closed. _Oh how the mighty have fallen._ He thought. _That'll keep her hot for me until I return._ And with that thought he clearly envisaged the dunes in which he had last seen Harry and disapparated.

Hermione opened her eyes when the crack of disapparation sounded and she was completely alone in the fading light of the day. Her face paled as she remembered she had yet to apologise to her Mother for her atrocious behaviour. Damn Malfoy for side-tracking her with his wonderful kiss. She smoothed out her dress and headed back down the garden path and through the conservatory and into the kitchen. Her parents weren't about so she wondered if they might be upstairs since her Mother was upset after all. Sneaking a look at the clock on the wall, she questioned as to why her parents hadn't come and interrupted her since their reservations were for 10 minutes ago.

OOO

Draco was immediately windswept as he appeared behind the hills created by the dunes to see the familiar raven haired head of Harry Potter sitting serenely atop one of the hills picking absent-mindedly at the long strands of grass. Draco tucked his wand into his sleeve and jogged up the hillside and plonked himself down on the grass next to his friend.

"You weren't at the hotel." Harry announced.

"Yeah, Granger wanted to spend all available minutes of the day with her parents. We were about to go out to dinner but I told her to send my excuses."

"Oh, I apologise. But I bring news of my assignment."

"How did it go?"

"Abysmally." Harry sighed. "I've spend days making my case and I honestly thought I had them eating out of my hand until today when they told me they want no part to play in British affairs! I mean, why couldn't the fuckers tell me that before I wasted all of my time trying to convince them in the first place." He groaned.

"What will this mean for the war?" Draco asked.

"We won't fare as well as we hoped, I doubt. Without the backing of Australia we are politically isolated so we're standing alone this time. They say they suffered tremendous losses from the first war and they don't want to undergo it again."

"Well it's not as though we didn't suffer. Everybody did for Merlin's sake!" Draco exploded.

"Try telling them that. They won't listen to me. Although on the bright side, I didn't see any signs of Death Eaters in their Ministry which means that they really don't want a part to play in this war."

"They're cowards then."

"I know that but all we can hope is that they change their minds closer to the time. One obnoxious fuck kept trying to convince me that there wouldn't be a war if I could get over my grudges. I nearly hexed the bastard out of the Wizarding World."

"Forget nearly, I would've done it." Draco snickered.

OOO

Hermione walked through the entirety of the ground floor of her parents' house and there was no sign of them. It was impossible that they had left since her Father's keys and Mother's purse were still on the kitchen counter beside her own things although she was still puzzled as to why they hadn't collected her to go to dinner. She frowned and placed her hand on the smooth wood of the banister before hauling herself up the stairs slowly in the hope that she heard their voices from one of the rooms upstairs.

Checking each of the doors as she walked along the second floor hallway, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of panic at each additional room in which she didn't see her parents, although nothing in any of the rooms seemed out of the ordinary. Perhaps they walked? She heard a muffled thump in the room furthest down the hall and she stilled.

"Mom?...Dad?..." She called out into the empty air, but the only sound to be heard in reply was the sound of her own ragged breaths which were quickening by the moment. She mustered up all the Gryffindor courage that rested within her and marched towards the last door along the hallway pausing outside of it to draw her wand slowly allowing the smooth wood of the vine to calm her nerves. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open slightly so that the light from in the hall broke through the darkness of what appeared to be a bedroom.

A gust of cold wind blustered through the open window, forcing the curtains to billow about rapidly. Using her wand, Hermione pushed the door open fully and through the darkness of the room nothing appeared out of the ordinary so she stepped into the dense darkness and walked over to the window, gripping the sash with both hands and pulling it down firmly to try and remove the ghostly chill in the air.

She rubbed her hands up and down her arms to try and generate a little warmth before turning to make her way out of the room. She stopped mid-turn when she saw something on the other side of the bedroom, something she would have totally missed as she walked in with her eyes fixed firmly on the window. Her breathing hitched as she illuminated her wand and crept over to the dark silhouette on the floor, in the corner. The light from her wand crept slowly across the floor until it revealed the fixed face of her Father and then her Mother, both lying on the floor in a pool of their mingled blood. Dead. She let her wand roll from her fingers and let out an anguished scream.

OOO

"How've you been biding your time here then?" Harry asked curiously.

"Well I've had to stick with Granger haven't I? I must admit, her parents are quite fascinating people for Muggles and have changed my opinion entirely."

"You and Hermione, huh? I noticed things were a little tense. Trouble in paradise with the lovely wife?"

Draco shuddered. "Don't ever mention that word again, you know commitment scares the shit out of me. But no, Granger is an attractive woman but she's not my type." He lied easily.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Your type is more along the lines of blonde, brainless and ready, right?" Harry joked.

"Of course, love them and leave them. That's my motto, Potter. Whereas you my poor misguided friend sought life-long commitment as soon as you were able. You're never going to have anyone else than your wife now, you're missing out on all those witches waiting to jump you."

"Honestly Malfoy, doesn't spending your life with one special witch appeal to you at all?"

"Nope. Variety is the spice of life my dear friend. You'd be a fool to think otherwise."

"Wait a minute, Malfoy. Is that Hedwig?" Harry asked as he created a visor with his hand and peered out across the sunset to see a light coloured bird flying straight towards them with something latched in its beak."

"Merlin's beard, it is." Draco gasped as he shot up from the grass.

"What on Earth is Lupin doing sending her all the way out here?" Harry's panicked voice spoke. Draco didn't reply as the pair anxiously waited as the owl drew nearer and nearer until it was evident that the snowy owl was in fact Harry's bird. Harry held out his arm as a suitable landing platform and the owl obliged, he stroked her feathers and she unlatched her beak letting her load drop to the floor with a muffled thud. Harry picked up the package to find it was this morning's edition of the Daily Prophet.

**Aspiring Undersecretary Granger Vacationing In Australia Close To Elections**

**By Rita Skeeter**

"Malfoy, where did you say Hermione was?" Harry choked.

"With her parents at dinner I presume." Draco replied and upon seeing Harry's paling face, his brow furrowed. "Why?" Harry said nothing but held out the paper for Draco to see. His grey eyes quickly scanned the headline and he sent out an array of colourful curses. Now the whole British wizarding population knew she was out here, and the Death Eaters knew she would be unprotected.

"Come with me, Potter. I need to make sure she's safe." Draco said sternly. Harry complied quickly and sent Hedwig on her way before side-along apparating with Draco, not caring if any Muggles might happen to see them.

OOO

Hermione roughly shook her Father's body seeing as he was the closest to her to see if she could rouse him. When it didn't work she dropped to her knees, letting the white fabric of her dress stain crimson in the pool of her parents' blood on the carpet which was already soaking through now. She frantically pressed her fingers into the veins on her Father's wrist to see if she could find a pulse, then she tried the vein under his neck. She was sobbing openly now whispering desperate prayers and she placed her ear close to his mouth and strained to see if she could hear of even feel the shallowest breath on her cheek but it never came.

"No, please. No. God, don't do this to me please." She whispered shakily as she repeated the process with her Mother's limp form however the results were the same. She had their blood on her hands however she didn't realise this as she went to wipe the tears that were cascading down her cheeks relentlessly leaving smears of blood across her cheeks.

"Who would do this to you?" She whispered broken-heartedly, although her question fell upon deaf ears.

"That would be me, Miss Granger." Came a growl from the darkness causing Hermione to let out a scared whimper as she scrambled about amongst the blood and limbs to try and find where she had dropped her wand. Never had it occurred to her that the perpetrator might still be in the house, she had checked after all.

"Wh-Who are you?" She asked shakily.

"Wouldn't you like to know." Came the sly reply. She saw a silhouette moving in the darkness until a blinding light was shone in her face. She jammed her eyes shut until the intensity became a little more bearable before squinting as she opened her eyes again. The man in question was wearing a Death Eater mask which sent chills down her spine and planted dread in the put of her stomach. Through the light, she could see the man's gloved fingers slowly caressing her wand. _Her wand._ She was utterly defenceless against this murderer now.

"A fine wand you have here, Miss Granger. Vine, if I'm not mistaken?" He asked tauntingly.

She lowered her head as tears dripped off the end of her nose. She was going to die and by the hands of a Death Eater too. She hoped fervently that he made quick work of her and didn't drag it out. She wanted to die with some dignity left although she knew she would have to be extremely lucky to have that. Her hands were shaking as she tried to restrain her tears. They were not tears of fear, but tears of shock, mourning and the deepest regret that her Mother had died before she could apologise for treating her poorly earlier that evening.

"There there, Miss Granger. Don't cry, I won't hurt you. Not like the others would. Oh just imagine what they would do with a beauty like you. There would be nothing left of you when they finally decided to snuff you out." He said gently before tilting her head up to gaze at his masked face with a gloved finger.

He bunched up her hair in one hand and placed it over her shoulder before running his finger down her face in a similar fashion to what Draco had a few minutes previous. She was quaking in fear now. Why was he dragging this out?

"Not me though. I won't hurt you, in fact I think you'll find what I plan to do quite pleasurable. After all, a beauty such as yourself shouldn't be put to waste now, should you?"

She let out a sob at the realisation as she tried to crawl away from him desperately.

"Please don't, I'm a virgin. Please." She begged as she pulled her knees up to her chest and secured them by wrapping her arms around them.

"All the more reason to be gentle. You'll enjoy it Miss Granger. It will only last a few minutes and then you can be with your Mother and Father." He said simply as though it were the easiest thing in the world.

"Why are you doing this?" She whimpered as he advanced on her.

"For reasons I cannot explain, Miss Granger. I am a servant and I have been issued my orders." He replied as he reached out to touch her again. She shied away from his touch again but he was relentless in his pursuit. She slapped his hand away when he got too close and this enraged him, all signs of gentleness had vanished as he leapt on her causing her to scream in protest. He captured her wrists with one hand and pinned them above her head leaving her thrashing about trying to somehow buck him off. With his other hand he began to trace her breast through her dress making her cry harder and protest with more strength. When he lowered his head to bite the top of her breast she screamed and with all of her might she crossed her ankles together and kneed him directly in his precious jewels before spitting at his face when he shot up in pain.

"Right." He growled. "I said I'd be gentle with you Miss Granger but now you have angered me." She wriggled about trying to loosen his grasp on her wrists but it was to no avail. He palmed his pockets and withdrew a bloody knife. She stopped moving and her eyes widened, her strength dissolved and she cried and begged and pleaded.

He drove the knife into her outstretched arm and she screamed through her hoarse throat as he buried the knife into the skin of her forearm sending sharp bouts of pain throbbing through her arm as he scraped it this way and that through her skin. When he was done she could feel blood trickling from several places on her forearm

He shoved the knife into his pocket and forced his mouth onto hers. She screamed in protest and bit his tongue, hard. Enough so she could taste the foul metallic taste invading her tastebuds.

"That's it now Mudblood. The more you relax, the more you'll enjoy it." He panted as he tried to wrestle with her writhing body to pull her dress above her hips. He forced his knee between her legs, causing them to part enough to give him space to pry them apart further. This was it now, she was about to lose her virginity forcefully, painfully and humiliatingly before she would be ruthlessly slaughtered. She had given up all hope now and was prepared to die properly. In her head she started reciting prayers to God wishing that things didn't have to be this way.

Just as the Death Eater had finished struggling with his own robes, the door crashed open and Hermione screamed again, more in relief as she saw two familiar figures advancing on the man who had pinned her down. He, however was more than alert and as soon as the door burst open, he had removed himself from her person, grabbed his wand and disapparated narrowly avoiding the spells that Harry and Draco had cast his way.

"Harry." She gasped and began crying again as she held her arms out to her best friend who rushed to her side and cradled her against him tightly whilst Draco stood clenching his wand tightly in his hand with a look of pure hatred and anguish plastered across his face.

"Hermione, did he hurt you. Did he-?"

"No, Harry he didn't get that far because you came!" She cried with relief. "I thought it was the end, Harry. I thought he was going to do it and I-" Her throat clenched preventing her from finishing her sentence as she clutched tightly to Harry. "He killed them Harry, he killed my parents! He-" Draco illuminated where Hermione was pointing to with his wand and even he had to turn away at the gruesomeness of the scene. He pinched the bridge of his nose to stop any tears in their tracks however when he opened them, he found upon Mrs Granger's bloody torso, a single Phoenix feather.

"Get me out of here Harry. Please, I can't- Oh God I can't-" He choked on her upcoming sobs and swore that she was going to vomit if she wasn't careful. Harry scooped her up into his arms with ease and carried her out of the bedroom and away from her parents. Out in the light of the hallway, she caught her first glimpse of what had actually happened to her arm. The Death Eater, had engraved the word _Mudblood_ into her skin.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, so I've just finished writing Chapter 21 and well I decided whilst writing the chapters after this that we're almost 20 chapters in and need some more Dramione so things between them might happen a little fast soon. Especially because I've condensed a large time frame into one chapter so yeah. That's enough from me now so hold on and we'll have some Dramione soon!_

_PS: O, Reviewers! Reviewers! Wherefore art thou Reviewers!? I'm beginning to feel unloved you know ;3 _

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**_Chapter XVII_**

Both Harry and Draco had been scared as they had entered the house and seen no sign of Hermione or her parents. Draco had immediately spotted Hermione's purse and keys and knew she must still be here since she never went anywhere without them. As soon as he had opened his mouth to alert Harry they had heard the blood-chilling screams coming from upstairs. A mutual look between the two of them in a moment of panic sent them both dashing up the stairs and towards the source of the screaming. They had burst into the bedroom to see a black cloaked figure wrestling with Hermione beneath him and by the way her dress hand been hiked up there was no doubting what his intentions with her were.

They had both taken her in to see that the dress she was wearing was saturated in crimson, there was a series of deep gashes on her right forearm that were oozing blood into her hair and there was smeared blood across her face however both of them became enraged upon seeing the bloodied bite mark just at the top of her breast and had wasted no time in firing their curses his way. Harry was set to stun but Draco who was more enraged at the piece of filth who would even dare try and force himself on pure, virginal Hermione had fired a particularly nasty curse with the intention of causing grievous bodily harm at the very least.

The figure had quickly scrambled up off Hermione and managed to quickly disapparate due to the lack of wards around the house. Harry and Draco were then too concerned with Hermione to even think about catching on to the lingering wisps of apparation in the room and following the figure before they had vanished. Not only had the figure tried to rape her, but as Hermione had pointed out to them, he had also gruesomely murdered Mr and Mrs Granger in cold blood. Harry had carried her away from the scene which had distressed her and by the time he had set her down on the sofa in the lounge, she had stopped crying completely although her lips were mouthing silent words, her eyes were barely open due to the puffiness and her face had paled significantly, highlighting the striking red tear tracks even more.

Blood ran freely down her arm which stained her dress and she just stared at it before running her fingers through the blood and smearing it all over her arm as she traced the letters that the knife had left in its path.

"'Mione, what happened?" Harry asked carefully but she just stared straight through him as though he were invisible, her chocolate brown eyes void of any emotion.

"I-" She croaked before cupping a protective hand around her neck. "I can't talk about it Harry, use Legilimency on me."

She didn't say anything as Harry forced his way into her mind, though she made sure she dismantled all of her defences and to stop him rummaging around in her head which was excruciatingly painful she threw up the memory in his path and held her breath as she watched the events replay through her mind. Each second she spend reliving the horror caused the guilt to pile up but the whole time she didn't watch what was happening to her, but just focused on the bodies slumped in the corner.

She never got to say goodbye. She never got to apologise to her Mother for treating her the way she did, she never got to apologise full stop for being a terrible daughter over the past two years. She had missed out on important things in their lives while she was too busy playing as Lupin's pawn in the game of politics and now when she finally had a chance to make it right, it was too late.

He pulled out of her mind and tried to blink away the tears that were forming behind his glasses as he stared at her long and hard to tried and imagine how she must possibly be feeling. He placed his hand on top of her bloody one in a friendly gesture.

"'Mione, I can't even begin to say how sorry I am." He said softly.

"What's done is done, Harry. It can't be changed, so don't dwell on it. It wasn't your fault and you came as soon as you could." She whispered and ignored him as he shook his head. If he hadn't called Draco away from her then perhaps he might have been able to fend the intruder off before he hurt Hermione. But he couldn't take that back now. She was right, what's done is done, but that didn't help how guilty he felt about it.

Draco cleared his throat although only Harry looked to him. Hermione's head was down with her hair creating a shield around her face.

"I'm going to go and clean myself up." She muttered, almost inaudibly before walking into the kitchen and grabbing her purse and heading towards the downstairs bathroom where she turned on the shower to its maximum heat and sat down on the floor of the bath, fully clothed as the water scalded her back. The water that puddled around her was stained red with the mixture of her parents' blood as well as her own which trickled in a little river towards the drain where it formed a little red whirlpool before finally being sucked through.

She peeled off her dress and flung it out of the bath and inspected her body, especially eyeing the bite mark above her breast and the word carved into her arm. The water stung agonizingly as the water washed over the new wounds but she daren't move. The physical pain was allowing her to take her mind off all of the emotional pain that was swirling around inside of her mind and around her heart, clenching it painfully. Even after the blood had long been washed away she sat beneath the scalding water which was so hot it left goosebumps on her skin.

She reached around and pulled her hair into a makeshift ponytail before picking the dried flakes of matted blood out of her hair and scrubbing herself clean to the extent where her skin had turned into a dark shade of pink and she even drew a little blood in some of the more sensitive areas. She eventually got out and rummaged through her bag and dug out a black cable knit jumper which she had paired with some thick black leggings, she was officially in mourning now after all. She got dressed and picked up the sopping material which was her new dress and slung it into her bag before drawing her wand and attempting to use a concealment charm on her forearm.

When she looked down and the gashes were still visible, she panicked a little and tried it again making sure to say the incantation clearly and make the distinctive wand movements but she didn't feel the little surge of magic in her veins that was usually there whenever she performed magic. She panicked and began frantically trying again and again but it wouldn't work. Tears of frustration built up in the corners of her eyes but she refused to let them fall. She had cried enough for one day. She tucked her wand into her sleeve and finally emerged from the bathroom much to the boys' relief.

"There you are!" Harry exclaimed breathlessly. "We've spoken with Lupin and the rest of the Order, and they think it best if we get you back to Britain immediately."

Hermione's throat clenched. "What? No! I can't just pack up shop and run away when things go wrong." She spoke desperately, looking to Harry to find some reversal regarding the matter.

Harry sighed wearily. "Hermione, I know you're not going to want to hear this but Draco and I agree with them." She opened her mouth to protest immediately but he held his hand up to stop her in her tracks. "Listen, we don't know who that creep was that came here tonight, nor do we know why but if my guesses are correct he's been sent by Riddle since you're the driving force behind the opposition party so all he'd have to do is remove you and then the election is in the bag for Thicknesse." He paused, unsure whether or not to go on.

"Tell her the rest." Draco spoke.

"But Lupin-"

"Lupin be damned, what he doesn't know can't hurt him. She needs to know." Harry remained silent. "You tell her or I will."

"We need to get you back to Britain because it's not safe here for you Hermione, nor is it safe for Draco or me. The reason I came out here, is because Lupin is sure we are on the verge of a war, the moment we can hold the Death Eaters accountable for anything, he is going to push for said war. However, if we lose this election, we don't have the Ministry at our disposal to help us win and so Lupin sent me here to Australia in the hope that we could convince their Minister to side with us for a second time. But this time he didn't. He said he wanted no part to play in British affairs after all of their losses in the First Wizarding War meaning that there could be Death Eaters here right now and the Australians will offer us no protection or refuge from them. Please trust me Hermione, I wouldn't be asking you to do this if it wasn't important."

"Okay, I'll go." She squeaked.

"We're going to apparate you back to Grimmauld Place now and we'll send someone to come and collect your parents shortly after." Harry promised and held out his hand for Hermione to take. She wordlessly slipped her hand into his and allowed him to gently pull her to her feet and into his strong embrace. "Follow me, Malfoy." Harry said over his shoulder and Hermione heard him grunt in response. "Ready?" He asked gently. She clutched onto the lapel of his jacket and nodded against his chest before feeling herself being compressed and pulled along by Harry as he apparated.

When she opened her eyes at Grimmauld Place, she was shocked to find herself and Harry on the cold stone floor of the kitchen. It was mid-morning here and by the looks of things, everyone had not long finished breakfast since Molly was flicking her wand towards various pots, pans and plates which needed washing. She shrieked when she turned around to see Harry and Hermione lying on the floor behind her. The two stood shakily and Molly rushed to pull Hermione into her arms after not long hearing about the dreadful thing that had happened. She stroked her hair lovingly as Hermione buried her face into Molly's shoulder. The feel of a motherly embrace again made her cry buckets of tears into Molly's floral blouse but she didn't mind and let the girl cry.

"Harry, are you alright dear?" Molly asked noting Harry's rather grey pallor.

"Yes, thank you Molly. I'm rather tired to be honest, just apparated all the way from Sydney." He muttered breathlessly as he supported himself on one of the counters feeling his magical core being greatly depleted.

"From Australia?! Good heavens you silly boy, why on Earth did you do that!?" Molly shrieked.

"I had to get her away from there" He panted. "Couldn't wait for plane. Think I might have a lie down."

"Too right Harry James Potter. Get in there and I'll make sure nobody disturbs you." She reassured him. He turned slowly just as another pop of apparation sounded in the kitchen and Draco staggered about trying to regain his balance. He fell into the counter and slumped slightly as he breathed deeply.

"Bloody hell! That sure knocks it out of you doesn't it?" He exhaled noisily as Harry nodded slightly.

Molly rolled her eyes. "You boys are too reckless. You could have been hurt! Apparating from Australia, who heard of such a ridiculous thing. Both of you, upstairs, now. Make sure you get a good few hours' sleep or by Merlin I will force a dreamless sleep potion down your throats!" She yelled and the two needed no encouragement as they hobbled out of the kitchen and down the hall.

She turned her attention back to Hermione who was laughing through her tears at two of the most powerful wizards in the Order being told off by Mrs Weasley however her smile quickly dropped again and she sobbed quietly into Molly's shoulder wishing that the past few hours had been only a cruel nightmare and that she would wake up and her parents would be waiting for her, alive and well, just as she had left them.

OOO

She was unsure of the time when she finally woke having cried herself to sleep in Molly's arms in a most undignified manner. Now she was in her old bedroom at Grimmauld on her familiar mattress which felt rather lumpy in comparison to the bed of feathers she had been sleeping on in Australia. Her throat tightened. _Australia. Mom. Dad. _She became all too aware that her head was throbbing mercilessly, her mouth felt like sandpaper and her throat stung from all of the crying. She wasn't sure if her body could cope if she fell apart like that again.

A knock at the door startled her, she turned on the bed so her back was facing towards the door. She couldn't take any visitors, because she was sure the moment that someone else looked at her pitiably or asked her if she was okay, she would lose the little sanity she had left. She felt guilt gnawing away at her heart, if she hadn't insisted she go to Australia then the Death Eaters wouldn't have tracked her there and her parents would still be living happily enough without her interrupting presence in their life. Why couldn't she just have waited until it was safe? Why couldn't she have listened to Lupin for a change? She had now caused the deaths of both Sirius and her parents and in all honesty she was prepared to throw the towel in and let the bastards have her if it meant putting a stop to all of this pain.

The door creaked as it opened and she heard the muffled footfalls of someone creeping across the floorboards towards her. The bed dipped as the person sat next to her and rolled her seemingly sleeping form to lie in their lap. By cracking her eye open a little she could see blurs of long red hair which had fallen around its owners pale face. Ginny. Hermione felt warm inside that someone had thought to come and be with her in her time of need since everybody else had stayed away. She needed someone, someone to tell her it was okay even though it wasn't simply because they cared enough to try and cheer her up.

Ginny stared out of the window on the wall parallel to the bed as tears misted in her eyes unaware that a conscious Hermione was also gazing out of the same window, eyeing the pinks and oranges of the sunset that were painting the sky. Hermione tried her hardest not to cry at the sound of Ginny sniffling above her as she stroked her hair sympathetically while she 'slept'. She was too afraid she had already cried herself dry. When Ginny's breathing had steadied she gently shook Hermione's shoulder to wake her up.

"'Mione? Come on 'Mione, wake up. Lupin wants to speak with you." She whispered. Hermione's stomach dropped a little at the thought of Lupin's smug look as she met with him. She reluctantly opened her eyes to see Ginny directly above her. "Hey 'Mione. How're you feeling?" Ginny asked carefully.

_Guilty. Angry. Heartbroken. Violated. Terrified. Lost._

"I'm coping." She lied although Ginny didn't seem very convinced.

"We need you to come downstairs. Lupin wants to talk to you." She reiterated and she didn't fail to notice Hermione go rigid. "Don't worry, it'll just be the two of you. Not the whole Order, I told him you weren't ready for that yet."

Hermione's breathing was becoming more and more shallow. She hated being this weak and disgraceful but being as determined as she was, she climbed out of the bed and away from Ginny before tucking her wand up the sleeve of her jumper and making for the door. She slipped through the door without another word to the redhead and silently wandered the halls of Grimmauld Place, much like a ghost would haunt. When she reached the ground floor she made for the library and crept inside without anybody seeing her, much to her own relief.

Lupin was sitting in a chair next to Harry, engaged in some polite conversation when Hermione emerged from the shadows making the two of them jump slightly at her sudden appearance. She didn't look well at all, her hair had been left untamed and her face was incredibly pale in contrast to her black jumper, her eyes were heavy lidded, puffy and red and in all honesty, she just looked tired. Lupin wordlessly gestured to the chair next to Harry and Hermione sat down before Harry grabbed her hand reassuringly and squeezed it for good measure.

"Hermione." Lupin started and was unsure of how to proceed. Of course he had had his own misgivings about Hermione, but that didn't mean he didn't care for her, especially since she would be a key figure in deciding the outcome of the upcoming war. "We'd just like to let you know that we've retrieved your parents and we're going to bury them at Hogwarts, away from the public eye."

"Remember 'Mione, where we buried Sirius?" Harry prompted a little too cheerfully for Hermione's liking. She nodded glumly in response. At least they would have a burial, if she had been killed alongside them, each of their bodies would probably be incinerated, or perhaps her own would be displayed like the bodies of all of the other Muggle-Borns that they had killed.

Lupin sighed. "I wouldn't do this in normal circumstances Hermione, but we have been left with no choice. With the elections so close, we need you back out there. Without you, our candidate is nothing and we will be obliterated by Thicknesse."

"Lupin." Harry said warningly. "You can't expect her to put herself back in the firing line after that catastrophe!"

Hermione listened passively as the two men argued back and forth as they debated her future. She wasn't going to stand for it any more, she was tired of being pitied, she was tired of being miserable, she was tired of being treated like a child. Enough.

"No, Harry. I'll go." She spoke firmly with a determination in her voice she hadn't heard in a long while.

"What?!" He yelled exasperatedly. "Do you really want to bait yourself, because I can tell you, they'll stop at _nothing_ to get you now. Do you understand the severity of this Hermione? Do you?!"

"YES! I am _not_ a child Harry James Potter, and as such I am more than capable of making my own decisions. This was their goal wasn't it? To win the elections by having me out of the way. By moping about and hiding, what good am I doing, really? I can't sit by and let him do this to me. I can do this, just trust me."

"I trusted you when we went to Australia, 'Mione, and look where that got us." He retorted.

"That was uncalled for Harry, I can't believe _you_ of all people would use that against me." She spoke, dangerously calm despite the boiling rage building up inside of her. "Get out. It's evident that you're not going to accept this so if you'd please wait outside and then you can continue your argument with Lupin _after_ we have made the arrangements."

Harry didn't move, seemingly shocked at what had passed from his own lips. "'Mione I am so sorry." He whispered.

"That's wonderful, however I don't want to speak to you at the moment Harry. I'd like it if you let me cool off for a while before attempting to speak to me again." Her voice wavered slightly as she spoke. Harry didn't push it and sighed loudly before leaving the library swiftly. "What are your plans for me Lupin?" She asked tiredly.

"I'm sure you agree that we don't want to let it loose what had actually occurred in Australia, am I correct in assuming such?" He asked cordially.

"Absolutely, too much unwanted attention. The prophet would be on me like flies around a honey pot leading to more cock-ups."

"My sentiments exactly, now. I'm sure you'd like to be back in your own bed as soon as possible away from people snivelling over you, in the words of Draco, but of course I'm reluctant to send you back without protection of course. You need only look what happened as soon as Draco left you for a moment so I'm taking no chances this time. I'll have someone watch over you whilst you're outside the Ministry and if you don't mind of course, I would let Justin in on our situation so it'll be a little less conspicuous inside the Ministry."

"Yes, if it is necessary that we tell Justin then do what you must. For once though Lupin, I actually agree with your plan although I'll have to ensure that Harry and I are back on speaking terms before I leave which I'm planning on in the morning." She let out a humourless chuckle and Lupin did something extremely rare and actually smiled at her albeit sympathetically. She nodded her head to him one last time before making her way out of the library, determined to sleep for the rest of the day, and night to try and rid herself of this guilt and regret. Life was going to be very different now, this time she would listen to Lupin and she would just have to grin and bear it.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

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**_Chapter XVIII_**

Settling back into her normal life was harder than she had previously anticipated. She knew it wouldn't be an easy transition, she wasn't that naïve but she expected it to be much easier than it really felt. She didn't understand how the world went on like nothing had happened when an event of such magnitude had shook her completely, altering the course of her life forever yet nobody had a care in the world.

Going back to her own house was the hardest. The little Muggle house that she had spent her childhood with her parents in, the house her parents had lived in for over 20 years, and all around her were little reminders of them. In each and every room she entered a surge of memories overpowered her to the extent that every time she closed her eyes, the faces of her parents were permanent fixtures that haunted her very soul.

Fred and George would come to take the night watch over her to make sure that nobody dared to attack her in her own home, despite the fact that she had set up every ward she could possibly think of around the residence. Lupin had been kind enough to give her two people she was familiar with which she was grateful for, the twins were rather nice company for whenever she needed a small escape from her thoughts and their crass jokes were rather uplifting.

She knew that Lupin was only being as cautious with her because as he so rightly said, without her his efforts in the Ministry will all have been for naught. Of course she was being used and once she had served her purpose they would go back to their previous ways whereby he would boss her about simply because he could and she would argue back. But for now, she didn't feel as though she had it in her to even raise so much as a finger in protest to his plans for her because every time she did something bad would always happen and someone would end up dead.

When she had crawled back into her own bed for the first time again, it felt incredibly odd to be sleeping in a room all by herself again without Draco on the sofa across the room. She hadn't really thought about him much since the last time they had been together which had been quite an experience for her although now she thought about it, it would be too awkward next time they met and she was quite glad that he hadn't been assigned to protect her again.

She was attracted to him, but that was the extent of the depth of her feelings for him but how could anyone not be? She had put their kiss down to a moment of stupidity on her part and him simply taking advantage of her moment of vulnerability to try and wriggle his way into her pants, much like he probably did with all of the other decent witches he came across. Besides, everybody gets lonely right? It was nothing more than a small dalliance that she was more than ready to put behind her, since she was completely unsure of what she could possibly have been thinking by having any romantic involvement with Malfoy. She was only glad it hadn't gone further because if it had, she would definitely have regretted it.

On her first night, sleep was hard to come by. In the darkness of her bedroom, all she could see was a pile of bloodied limbs in the corner of her room or the shifting silhouette against the walls leaving her heart beating rapidly. Not even the comfort of having the twins close by could soothe her fears.

She lay awake for most of the night trying not to let the tears take control of her. She was deeply wounded over her parents' deaths, but she would be returning to work in the morning so she would have to try and cover it up for appearances sake, especially if she would be acting as if nothing had happened. That would be the hardest thing of all. Theo and Justin would simply think she'd gone to Australia for a jolly holiday and she'd come back bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for work, bursting to the brim with ideas for their campaign.

She woke early since she had been drifting in and out of a troubled sleep for only a few hours and decided it was pointless trying to sleep anymore. She said goodbye to the twins and let them go back to the Burrow through her floo since they'd have to walk to the edge of her wards before they could apparate and the poor things looked incredibly tired after a night of no action. She indulged herself in a cool shower that morning to properly wake her up before painstakingly primping her tired and worn face to try and get it to look a little bit presentable in the least, but it was hard looking in the mirror when all she could see reflected in herself was her Mother's face and her Father's eyes.

She couldn't stomach the thought of breakfast and so stuck to her favourite brew of Yorkshire Tea as well as a side of Wideye Potion for good measure before she made her way to the floo. Under Lupin's strict instructions, she wasn't allowed to walk out of her house for any reason so that meant her walks to work and her only real form of exercise were banned for the foreseeable future so she had to resort to the floo. She stepped inside the fireplace with a handful of floo powder clenched tightly in her fist. She spoke her destination and threw the powder down to her feet, watching as she became enveloped by the familiar green flames.

She stumbled through the black brick fireplace in the Ministry's atrium, unused to the sensation since it wasn't really her preferred method of transportation. She brushed down her modest work robes and set off along with the dense crowds of witches and wizards donned in similar, boring work robes snaking their way through the throng of nameless faces. The roars of various fireplaces and the constant cracks of apparation sounded in her ears as she gazed at the Fountain of Magical Brethren standing in all its golden glory central to the atrium, however she was the only witch she could see who visibly took much notice of it. It was after all, quite an awe.

She shuffled into the lift which was cramped with many other witches and wizards each straining to maintain some personal space as they stood stone still. Hermione was towards the front, trying to make sure she didn't move too far back so that she bumped into the rather unfriendly looking wizard behind her. The golden gate closed, sealing them all in as the lift ascended stopping at each and every floor on the way up so that a sizeable portion of the group could work their way out until it was only Hermione herself left in the lift travelling up to level B1, Office of the Minister for Magic.

The emblem for the Ministry was displayed in different coloured stone upon entrance to this floor, it was after all the most ornately decorated of all of the different floors much unlike the lower floors which were less frequented like the Department For Magical Games and Sports. She quietly made her way through the black corridors, holding her head high when she passed Yaxley and Thicknesse in some sort of heated discussion before they simply turned and sneered down at her muttering something or other of unworthy blood. Hermione brushed it off as she did every other day and made her way past the Council rooms where the cabinet met fortnightly with the Minister and straight into the joint offices she shared with Justin and Theo.

She sat down and wearily eyed the stacks of memos and papers piled up on her desk. This is why she never took breaks because the sight of an overloaded desk in the morning was just downright depressing however being the hard worker she was she hung her satchel onto the hat stand in the corner of the room and slumped down in her wonderfully comfortable leather desk chair and threw herself into her work sifting through all of her papers, scanning each parchment thoroughly and scribbling back necessary replies or adding more things to her endless 'To-Do' list as she waited for Theo or Justin to haul their lazy arses into the office.

She ran her free hand through her hair holding it back out of her face while propping her head up on the desk as she mulled over her calendar thinking about how in the name of Merlin she was going to fit everything in before the election without having to work too much overtime, when a steaming mug of tea was placed before her. She looked up to see Justin grinning sheepishly at her. She eagerly reached forward for the mug and took a generous sip.

"Mmmhm. Justin you're my hero." She sighed dreamily before taking another sip of tea. She looked up at him to see his deep blue eyes fixed on her. It was nothing new to her to know that Justin harboured a not-so-secret attraction to her although she didn't let that fact get in the way of the wonderful friendship they had built whilst in the Ministry together and the healthy business relationship they had. She had only come to find out when Theo would make his crude jokes with her and Justin would glare at him from behind his papers.

"How are you faring, my little lion?" He asked with a hint of concern laced in his voice.

Her smile dropped. "Lupin spoke to you already, I take it?" He closed his eyes and nodded his head solemnly. "I'm as well as can be expected, Justin. I mean, of course it's hard but I'd rather not think about it right now. I'd also appreciate it if you treat this matter with the utmost discretion." She said in a business-like tone as she turned her attention back to her papers again.

"Hermione, trust me, I'm a Hufflepuff. Of course I won't say anything, I'm surprised Lupin didn't force me into a vow of silence or anything like that." He chuckled.

"I know, I don't doubt you Justin. I just had to be sure. Now, onto more pressing matters. Where in the bloody hell is Theo this morning? I reckon half of the papers here are meant for him the lazy so and so."

"Ah, our good friend Theo is…well…" Justin stammered.

"Relax you knickers my dear friends. Theo is here to save the day." Came the masculine shout from the adjoining office.

"Don't tell him anything, Justin. I'm warning you." She hissed and Justin nodded his head quickly as Theo strolled into the room with his jacket slung over his shoulder, he immediately noticed the tense atmosphere in the office and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Merlin Hermione, you look like shit." He remarked.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Theodore." She sighed without looking up from her papers. "Would you like to come and collect the memos that were obviously intended for you off my desk."

"Hey, you don't _know_ they're mine!" He protested, sporting a pout.

"Oh, so I'm really to think that Giselle from the Portkey Office really wants to hook up with me sometime?" She raised an eyebrow and Theo visibly blanched.

He held up his hands in mock defeat. "Okay, you caught me. It was worth a shot at least." He grinned at Justin who was trying desperately to stifle a laugh. "Anyway, about that memo, did she mention a time or anything?"

"Theodore Nott!" She cried out exasperatedly. "You weren't seriously thinking of taking her up on her offer were you?"

"What? She's an attractive woman." He protested.

"Theo, what about Daphne?" Justin asked.

"Don't talk about Daphne." Theo's cheery voice had faded to be replaced by only a saddened whisper. Hermione got up from her desk and walked towards where Theo was sitting against his desk. Justin followed her and they both stood on either side of him whilst she wrapped a friendly arm around his shoulder.

"Wanna talk about it?" She offered. He shook his head but began to speak anyway.

"She wanted to get settled down into a serious relationship with me, meaning betrothal in Pureblood speak but her Father forbid the match because I'm a blood traitor so she just tossed me aside like I saw nothing to her. Nothing." He spat in disgust.

"Oh Theo." Justin whispered sympathetically. They remained silent for a few moments more, unsure of what to say to console him but Hermione felt rather better after forgetting about her own grief for a moment whilst helping Theo with his own. As the seconds ticked, she eyed the waiting pile on her desk and grew more and more agitated.

"Well, you know what'll cure your heartbreak?" Hermione said enthusiastically.

"A rebound shag with Giselle?"

"No."

"With you?" He asked hopefully.

She slapped his shoulder playfully causing him to chuckle. "Theo!" She scolded and didn't miss the roll of Justin's eyes. "No, the only thing that's going to cure this, is a good dose of good old hard work."

Theo groaned as she stepped away from him and retrieved half of the papers on her desk before dropping them with a resounding _thump_ as they landed onto the wood of the desk.

"Come on, we've got an election to win." She said determinedly.

OOO

She stood on the shore of the familiar little island in the middle of the Black Lake at Hogwarts, donned in a grey silk blouse, a black pinafore and a black blazer to top it off as she stared at the seemingly dense wooded area between the spaces of the trunks of the evergreens that protected their little clearing.

She was rather late having promised to meet everybody here at least 15 minutes ago. She had supposed to gone with Fred and George this morning back to the Burrow where the Weasleys would have escorted her to the funeral proceedings themselves but she had sent them on their way this morning with a message saying she had to do this on her own and that she would apparate with Harry and meet them there since her own magic hadn't been as reliable after her return. She suspected it had something to do with trauma or something along those lines.

She was frozen on the spot, too afraid to face what awaited her through the trees. Could she really say goodbye _forever_? It seemed rather unlikely. Besides, being at the funeral of her parents would actually make the reality sink in, it seemed more real, they were never going to come back. She sighed and sat down on the pebbly shore of the little island as the first drizzles of rain made ripples on the surface of the lake. She splayed her hands out on either side of her to support herself, the sharp pebbles digging into her skin. With one hand she picked up a small pebble which looked rather like marble, she rolled it between her fingers before throwing it as far out as she could towards the lake, looking out across the surface for the small splash.

How was she going to face the whole Order whilst trying to say goodbye to her parents? The only living relatives that she known through her life and now they were gone. She had nobody left because of her own stupid judgement. She saw from the corner of her eye someone sit next to her on the pebbly bank although she didn't turn to look at them, even when they put their arm around her shoulder and pulled her in to them in an embrace.

"Everyone's worried about you." Harry spoke softly.

"I can imagine that they are." She replied. "Is this how it felt Harry? Having no one?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"You're lucky you have the Weasley's now. You'll never be alone again."

"You've got them too 'Mione, you're practically family to them."

"They're not my real family. I don't want a substitute, Harry, I want them back." She sighed wistfully.

"I know you do 'Mione, but right now they wouldn't want you to be sad. They'd want you to remember them and be happy." He exhaled deeply. "Come on, we need to say goodbye now." She nodded as he stood up and helped her to her feet, she dusted down her dress and looked to him expectantly.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

OOO

Draco, Harry and Ginny sat around the fire in the lounge at Grimmauld Place after a rather grim day. Each of them having known the two dentists had felt obligated to make sure that they stood by their friend's side as she formally said goodbye to the last living relatives she knew she had. Harry in particular had taken it hard having had to cope without his own parents himself. He could only imagine that her grief was increased greatly in comparison to his own since she had known her parents for almost 20 years of her life.

She hadn't spoken to anybody during the small service which Kingsley had so kindly conducted for them and they couldn't help but feel a sense of deja-vu since Sirius was buried mere metres away from where they had lain the two Grangers to rest. Harry had been haunted by the mangled state in which their bodies had been found and it was all that flitted across his mind during the service. Hermione had sat alone despite everyone's offerings which Harry thought was very courageous of her indeed but he understood that she needed to do this herself and be strong so that she wasn't reliant on other people all the time.

He sipped his tea as he glanced at Draco who was sprawled uncaringly in the armchair opposite to himself and Ginny with his arm dangling off the edge of the chair holding a brimming glass of firewhiskey which he brought to his lips now and again as he stared motionlessly at the crackling fire.

He had taken the past few days hard. He and Harry had been to and from Australia constantly over the past few days trying to gain some ground on this pressing case. Lupin wanted them to find out who was targeting Hermione since after Draco had presented Lupin with the Phoenix feather left on Mrs Granger's body, they had all come to the conclusion that this man had something to do with the missing Muggle-Borns. However there was nothing to be found at all, they were at a standstill.

He hadn't spoken to Hermione directly since he had left her on that fateful night. He felt guilty, if he had stayed things might not have gotten so out of hand and her parents would still be alive. He had been too ashamed to show his face to her, which was why he was more than eager to escape to his room in Grimmauld Place after Harry and himself had apparated back from Australia. In all honesty, he hadn't been considerably power-drained but he couldn't face her on her own just yet.

They still needed to talk about that kiss. All of his plans about managing to woo her somehow had gone straight out of the window, he wouldn't take advantage of her in such a vulnerable and depressed state and just talking about it would probably upset her more. He didn't want to hurt her anymore, she definitely been through more than enough as it is having to witness what she did and even worse, the man had tried to force himself on her. The thought of it made a growl surface in the back of his throat and his lip curled into a sneer before he brought the glass to his lips once more and took a generous gulp feeling the familiar burn at the back of his throat as the fiery substance trickled down his oesophagus.

He glanced over at Ginny who was dozing in the armchair having handed James to Harry who was seated on the floor in front of the fire gently rocking his baby boy as his eyes misted with tears. James had his fist clenched and was trying to chew on it, Harry kept grasping his delicate wrist between his thumb and forefinger and lifting it out of his mouth and placing a dummy in his mouth. Draco was jealous of little James, he could never recall a moment of fatherly affection throughout his entire life although his Mother had desperately tried to provide the affection that he was lacking since she wasn't cold hearted like her estranged husband. His lids grew heavy as he watched Father and Son before the fire and he quickly drifted into a fitful sleep.

_The room was shrouded in a dense darkness with the only light pouring through the tightly locked window where outside two red-haired guards slumbered. A ghostly presence, a shadow almost had slipped past their notice towards the two-storey home in the Muggle suburbs. The keyhole glowed a yellow gold with the light from the intruders wand before the door opened with a soft click and the intruder crept inside. _

_He made immediately for the stairs moving systematically to avoid any creaks on the stairs in case of alerting anybody to his presence. His feet were invisible beneath the black billowing robes that swirled around him as he moved, with each step came an increasing determination. By the time he had reached the top of the stairs he was panting heavily with desire and began creeping across the hallway checking each door he came across. He illuminated his wand with a simple flick to allow him to check the contents of each of the rooms that he passed until he reached his target._

_The last door that was opened revealed the room, the intruders breathing hitched as he put out the light of his wand and stepped into the room. The dense darkness merged with the deep black of his robes providing him with the perfect cover. Central to the room was an averaged sized double bed and through the darkness a bump was visible beneath the blankets and splayed out on the pillow was a mass of dark curls which were attached to a flawless heart shaped face with slightly parted lips that inhaled and exhaled with exact precision._

_ "Hello kitten." Came a growl which was followed by a scream._

Draco's eyes snapped open and he tried to grasp onto the remnants of the dream he had just experienced. It was very unlike any other dream he had ever had, much more vivid. Draco's face paled, he had only ever had one other experience like that in his entire life and it wasn't a dream, it was a vision.

"Potter!" He shouted making a half-asleep Harry jump to attention. "We need to get to Granger. Now. I'll explain later." He said hastily as he ran to the fireplace and flooed quickly away before Harry's startled eyes.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

* * *

**_Chapter XIX_**

As soon as the makeshift funeral service was over, Hermione hadn't stayed to be subjected to the endless amounts of pointless apologies and consolations that were probably in store for her from each and every member of the order. She had walked up to the grave and planted a kiss to the stone before doing the same to Sirius', and then walking briskly through the trees that hid the little clearing before anybody could think to stop her and offer their condolences.

She waited for Harry, who apparated with her back to the boundary of the wards outside her house since her own magic had been too badly affected. As each person's magic was tied to their emotions, her grief had left a severe impact upon her magic for the time being making it almost impossible to go about day to day spells without becoming quickly drained and therefore failing in most of her magical endeavours including apparating.

She had divested herself of her funeral attire and changed into her silken pyjama set before drawing the curtains to create an artificial night and crawling into bed. She fell into a light and dreamless sleep, the kind of sleep were you are partially aware of your senses, however they're not fine-tuned like they would be during consciousness.

At some point during the night, she felt incredibly cold to the point where her hairs were on end and goosebumps polka-dotted her skin. She frowned as she slowly opened her eyes, the curtains had been opened so that the light of the moon had spilled through the window and onto her bed drawing more attention to the fact that the blankets had been peeled off her body, and were bunched up around her feet but even more disturbingly, her pyjama top had ridden up so it just covered her breasts, baring the majority of her torso.

She sat up cautiously allowing her pyjama top to fall back to its rightful place before getting out of bed and drawing the curtains fully allowing her to peer out of the window. She looked down to see the tops of two familiar red heads and she smiled to herself before releasing the curtain and clambering back into bed, pulling the blankets up to her neck, trying to fall back into a slumber. She had almost drifted away from consciousness when a chillingly familiar voice spoke from the darkness.

"Hello again, Mudblood."

Hermione's eyes sprang open and she bolted up in bed. Her stomach had dropped and her heart was in her throat. She must have been hearing things, surely? She already had hallucinations when she was in the dark so it was definitely a possibility. Her eyes darted around the room to see if she could see anything conspicuous but she was disappointed. Her chest was heaving violently and she felt as though she might vomit.

"You don't like that name? How about _kitten?_" Came the voice again and Hermione was reduced to tears at that point. Her tormentor had used the endearment that her parent's had used for her except he was taunting her with it. Tears trickled down her cheeks relentlessly, looking around the room frantically she still couldn't see the intruder but she knew he was there.

"Please." She gasped before steadying her breathing. "What do you want from me?"

"Nothing you're willing to offer I'm afraid _kitten._ I'm here to finish what I started." Came the smooth reply and her sobs became louder as she realised what he meant. She was sure she had left her wand on the bedside table towards the other side of the bed however if she made a move or even so much as looked at it, he would be alerted and probably take away her only means of defence. How on Earth did he get in? How did he know where she was? She couldn't do anything, so she resorted to begging.

"You don't have to do this. I won't tell anyone." She whispered. This is when he made his presence known and slipped from the shadows and it was as she feared the same man who she had seen little more than a week ago at her parent's house in Australia, the same Death Eater mask, the same billowing black robes, the same voice, the same scenario.

"Ah but you see little kitten, I have to do this." He stepped towards her bedside and she was paralysed with fear as he approached her. Her body was shaking with the frequenting sobs as he reached up a gloved hand to catch one of the many tears in its path down her cheeks. She moved away from his touch and she could already sense his anger with her refusal building. Why her? She asked herself repeatedly. She was a good girl, she didn't deserve this. Or perhaps she did and this was her retribution for letting her parents die.

Out of the corner of her eye she spied her wand lying on the bedside table on the opposite side of the bed like she had thought. It was now or never, and this was her only chance at coming out of another encounter unscathed. She leapt across the bed and reached out with her hand and frantically palmed the bedside table trying to get a grip on her wand but he was too quick for her again and pulled her back towards him by her leg so that she screamed loud and clear.

He clamped a gloved hand over her mouth and she bit down hard trying to get him off her. She kicked in every direction which only increased the extent of his rage and sickening desire as he clambered on top of her once again. He grabbed her throat painfully so that his fingers were pressing into her windpipe causing her to cough and splutter as she wheezed for air.

"How does it feel _kitten?"_ He snarled. "How does it feel knowing that you caused the death of your pitiable Muggle parents with your carelessness?" She tried to scream again but his grip on her throat merely tightened. "How does it feel that you're going to meet the same _sticky_ _end?_" Hermione thought for a moment and she didn't feel anything at all. In fact she wouldn't really mind if he just strangled her to death right now. She'd be free from all this pain and grief after all. She shook the thought from her head quickly and her resolve strengthened, she had a job to do. She had an election to win. She had a war to fight. Her parents would shake their heads at her for wanting such a daft thing. She drew back her leg and kicked him squarely in between the legs. _Again._

As expected his hand immediately withdrew from her neck to cradle his wounded jewels and she screamed even louder in the hope that the twins might hear her as she scrambled across the bed yet again for her wand. This time she grabbed it and rolled across to the other side of the bed so that she was a safe distance from him and shouted the first incantation that crossed her mind.

"Stupefy!" She yelled. She didn't feel the familiar surge of magic. She didn't see the spell leave the tip of her wand. She _did_ feel the force of his backhand across her face though which sent her tumbling to the bed.

"I'm done playing with you now bitch." With that he pulled out the familiar dagger and plunged it into her abdomen. Blood began spilling from the wound and she moved both of her hands to try and push him away but he simply twisted the dagger deeper and deeper inside of her. Her mouth opened in a silent scream and she began to whimper and gasp as she felt the intrusive object inside of her. This time, nobody was going to save her. This time, she really was going to die. This time, she actually wanted to live.

She felt the dagger withdraw as the bang of the door resounded throughout the room over her pained screams. The intruder leapt across the bed and out of the window smashing it in the process and she fell back limply against the wall with both her hands pressed against her abdomen trying with all her willpower to put some pressure on the wound with her shaky hands to stop herself bleeding to death. The light flickered on and in a blur, she saw Harry dive straight out of the window after the intruder with a growl ripping from his throat.

She slumped against the wall as blood gushed from her in a seemingly endless stream. Her skin had turned almost white and her vision was blacking quickly. Seconds after Harry's spectacular descent from the building, Draco had burst into the room and stood still for a moment with a look of pure shock mixed with relief on his face when he saw her in the room, until he noticed her face was screwed up and incredibly pale and she was sweating a lot. His gaze lowered to see her hands which were saturated in her own blood shaking but pressed against her abdomen.

He cursed loudly and dropped to his knees beside her calling for Fred and George whose bounding footsteps she could hear from downstairs.

"Stay with me Hermione." He demanded and she weakly nodded as he smoothed her hair back from her sweaty face. He swiftly removed her hands from the wound which resulted in another spurt of blood. He peeled back her blood-soaked top to see how deep the wound really was. "Holy Mother of Merlin." He gasped and quickly grabbed her hands in his own and pressed them with an almost painful force onto the gash. She unclasped one of her hands from his and raised it to his cheek smearing her own blood over his flawless face as silent tears streamed down her face. She wasn't going to survive this and of that she was sure. Her hearing became weaker which was quickly followed by her sight, the last thing she saw was Draco mouthing something to her as her eyelids closed.

OOO

When she awoke everything around her was white. Perhaps she was in heaven? The fleeting thought passed her mind until she tried to move and then only pain. Unbearable pain. Nope, she definitely wasn't dead and couldn't decide whether or not she was relieved. Her vision focused and she could make out the drab ceiling tiles of the wards at St Mungo's.

She tried to shuffle to sit herself up slightly but it only came with more excruciating pain emanating from her abdomen and then she remembered what had happened. She tore the sheets off and pulled up the particularly nasty hospital shift she was donned in to reveal the particularly angry looking wound across her lower stomach. It had been stitched up expertly, but it held so much more than the remnants of physical pain, she couldn't bear to look at it anymore and threw down the shift as she buried her face into her hands.

"Careful now, Granger. You'll split your stitches." Came a soft yet tired sounding voice from beside her and her head whipped around to see a rather bedraggled looking Malfoy perched in a chair beside her. "Lie back and I'll get the healer."

"Wait." She wheezed. Her throat tightened painfully, probably as a result of the brutal way that the intruder had handled her delicate neck. She brought up a protective hand to her neck and rubbed it as if to soothe it.

"Easy, Granger. Easy." He lulled.

"What happened?" She spoke hoarsely.

"Well, you saw our dear saviour Potter jump out of the window. After that, the bastard that did this to you ran to the edge of the wards and disapparated. Potter managed to grab onto the last traces of his apparation but he kept going at it leading Potter in a wild goose chase all over England until eventually there was no trace left and we had to give up. He did everything he could, he was tearing himself up pacing outside your room. The twins haven't cracked a joke in days, they feel so guilty that it's their fault for sleeping on the job even though it bloody well is." Draco growled.

"He's still out there." She blanched. Her eyes widened again and she felt the familiar surge of cold fear spike through her.

"He's not going to get you again, Granger. I'm going to make sure of it. That fucker won't hurt you again." He assured her and she smiled through her glossy eyes. "Now I'm going to get the healer to talk to you, then we can talk some more afterwards."

"Don't leave me alone." She croaked. "Please, not again."

"I have to get the healer to check you over, I'll leave the door open if you like. I swear, I'll be right back Granger, I promise." He said trying to remain indifferent to the tears streaming down her face. This bastard really had broken her. She had been reduced to crying in front of him which was something she hadn't done in years and it made anger surge in his chest. Keeping to his promise he returned less than a minute later with a healer in tow.

"Hello Miss Granger, it's good to see you finally awake. I'm Healer Rowland." The woman healer smiled at her, she had a friendly looking face and blood red hair which looked dyed that was cut into a short bob that framed her face which sported a pair of thickly-rimmed glasses that she pushed up her nose every few seconds. "How're you feeling?"

"Sore." She offered although it was a huge understatement.

"Yes that's quite normal. We can offer you some pain relief potion for that but otherwise there's nothing more we can really do. You see the wound was dangerously deep Miss Granger, and no amount of magic on Mr Malfoy's behalf or even the best healers on this ward could repair the damage so we had to call in the Muggles to stitch you up."

"Will it scar?" She asked monotonously.

"Unfortunately yes, these Muggle methods, whilst effective they aren't flawless." She said solemnly and Hermione nodded in acknowledgement. "There's something else I fear I must also tell you, with regards to your injury of course. Would you prefer it if Mr Malfoy left?" Healer Rowland asked and Draco's eyes narrowed at the woman.

"No." Hermione answered quickly. She wasn't stable enough to be left on her own with anybody she didn't know at the moment.

"Of course." Healer Rowland readjusted her glasses on her face before scanning the clipboard in her hands again. "We ran some tests after we had stopped the bleeding to check for any effects that this wound might've had on your body like infection etcetera. But you see the item that caused this wound drove straight into your uterus, Miss Granger, and as a result there has been an unhealthy build-up of scar tissue in your uterus –" Hermione's face crumpled in despair as she cut her off.

"I can't have children, can I?" Hermione asked through a strained voice.

"It appears that the chances are very slim, Miss Granger. I'm very sorry." Healer Rowland said sympathetically and with a nod from Draco she left the room. As soon as the door shut the tears began again although she made no move or any sound at all. Just the motionless stare at the opposite wall with an endless stream of tears running down her face every time she blinked.

"He ruined me." She spoke quietly.

"Were children important to you?" He asked.

"I had always hoped that I'd have children one day. Even if not now, it would be nice to know that the opportunity was there and now that sick bastard was not only content with taking my only surviving family away from me, but any possibility of a future family too." She screamed and bit her lip to stop herself from whimpering like a baby.

Draco sat and watched painfully as each tear fell from her lashes. He couldn't fathom it, less than two weeks ago she was a reasonably happy woman now sitting before him was a hollow shell of that woman, completely broken. Irreparable. She had lost everything doing what Lupin had told her to do and she loathed him for it.

He reached across and placed his hand on hers and smoothed his thumb across her knuckles "Is there nothing else he can't take from me now but my pitiable excuse for a life?" She mumbled and her words ripped through him.

"Don't even go there. You're a Gryffindor, you're not supposed to be like this. Where's all that reckless courage I love to hate? You're strong Hermione, one of the strongest people I've ever met. Your parents died and yet at their funeral you stood alone and you didn't even cry. Do you even realise how much respect I have for you for that?"

"Draco, you don't get it. I'm tired now. I've had enough for one lifetime. I have nobody left now. I'm pretty certain that this trauma won't leave me unaffected for a very long time and I want to throw the towel in. I'm done with it. I'm done with the Order. I'm done with Lupin. I'm done with everything." She spoke defiantly.

"No, it's going to take a lot more than that pile of shit to break you. And you want to know why? I'll tell you why. Because your Hermione _fucking_ Granger, that's why. You won't go down this easily and you know it. This is the last time you'll have to deal with him ever again because I'm gonna find him Granger, and I'm gonna tear him limb from limb so he can experience only a _fraction_ of the pain that he's caused you."

"I wish it were so simple." She sighed wearily before letting her head drop back into the pillows so sleep could offer her an alternative to this cruel life, if only for a matter of hours.

OOO

As soon as Ginny had come to visit Hermione, Draco had left. Even when she was asleep he didn't want to leave her alone after seeing how scared she had been last time. He flooed back into Grimmauld Place and found Harry sitting alone in the kitchen with an untouched mug of tea before him. As soon as Draco entered the room, he perked up a little.

"Malfoy, how is she?" Harry breathed having not seen her since they had taken her into St Mungo's.

"I'm not going to lie to you Potter, she's not good at all."

"What?" Harry gasped. "This is all my fault."

"Don't go there with the whole self-pity charade Potter, I just had enough of it at the hospital but at least she had a reason. Get your sorry arse up and tell me where Lupin is."

"He's in the Library with Dumbledore, why?"

"Perfect." Draco turned on his heel and made his way to the library with a confused Harry in tow. Without knocking he burst into the room to see Dumbledore and Lupin pause mid-discussion.

"YOU!" He pointed an accusing finger at Lupin. "This is all. Your. Fault. You sent her back there _despite_ Potter's protests. You _knew_ that this sadistic fuck would come looking for her again yet you still sent her back." He exploded.

"Good evening Draco." Dumbledore voiced calmly.

"And you! Where in the name of Merlin's saggy pants have you been?! That girl has lost _everything_ for you and this bloody stupid Order and what has she gotten out of it? Nothing! That's what!"

"Mr Malfoy, please calm down. We've realised the severity of this situation and we were just discussing how to go about this so if you'd please take a seat." Dumbledore offered.

"It's about freaking time you realised! Although I hope that the course of action after this will be little more than a poxy discussion."

"Alright Malfoy, that's enough now. You've said your piece." Harry spoke as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"As I was saying Remus, we need to keep her safe until we find out who is out to get her and why."

"I agree with you Albus, I do. But we need her for this election, otherwise our plans will go down the drain."

"Your plans will go down the drain if she dies you dolt." Draco interrupted.

"Malfoy that's enough from you." Lupin backfired.

"I think it the best course of action that we keep Miss Granger safe and refocus all our efforts on finding this assassin quickly so that we can put Miss Granger back into the Ministry as quickly as possible. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Perhaps you're right Albus, but who will we assign this task? We know the man is dangerous after all having nearly murdered the girl."

"I will." Draco spoke firmly and all eyes in the room fixed on him. Dumbledore eyed Draco with curiosity having seen a fiercely protective streak that he hadn't previously noticed, especially when it came to Hermione and he wondered if there might be something more than friendship between the two, after all the boy had spent an unhealthy amount of time at her bedside. Although that could be put down to guilt, however with all that he was sacrificing for revenge on the man that had caused her this harm, it was positively undeniable. He must harbour some unspoken feelings for her which were definitely not lacking the passion and protectiveness at all. However with a passion of this magnitude came danger. How far was the young Malfoy willing to go to exact revenge on his beloved's behalf? Because if it was anything like the rage he had previously displayed, Dumbledore knew his magic would be increasingly powerful when powered by said rage, meaning disastrous consequences for whoever crossed his path.

"As noble as your intentions are Mr Malfoy, I would prefer if we assign you again to Miss Granger's side. She will need a friend after all and I'm sure you are more than capable of protecting her since it seems that this assassin will not strike in your presence." Dumbledore observed. "Harry, I'd like you to see to the task of discovering our assassin, I'm sure you can manage it swiftly and with the utmost discretion."

Harry nodded and Draco boiled with rage to the extent where the room was beginning to shake with his raw power. "Malfoy calm down, if you're with her he won't hurt her again. It's okay. I'll handle him and she'll be safe. She'll be safe." Harry soothed until the room stopped trembling.

It seemed to Dumbledore that Miss Granger was a key factor to unlocking the true extent of Mr Malfoy's powers.

* * *

_Hey guys, just a quick one. You're probably bored of our intruder attacking Hermione but I promise, he doesn't make another appearance like this one again now. I think poor Hermione's been through enough for the time being!_


	20. Chapter 20

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, sorry for the late update, I've just been super busy and I've had to rewrite on of the later chapters so many times its unreal! Writers block strikes again but I'm trying :3_

* * *

**_Chapter XX_**

Hermione stayed awake for the entirety of the next night at St Mungo's. For the first time since she had arrived she had been left alone and she hated the feeling of vulnerability it gave her. She was petrified of being left alone because that man always found her when she was without company and worse, he always found her in the dark.

When Healer Rowland had come and checked on her and issued another pain relief potion before signing off for the night, she had closed the door and flicked the light off on her way out, leaving Hermione shaking in her bed out of pure terror. She had kept her eyes glued to the window and door as she pulled the blankets up around her neck so she was almost completely covered. She felt safer in the blankets, they provided her a sense of security that she had obtained ever since she was a child when the blankets would protect her from all of the monsters that haunted her nightmares. But now, the monsters weren't only in her nightmares, they had invaded her reality causing her to lose all sanity she had.

After almost crying in the dark she had found little scraps of determination somewhere in the depths of her vulnerability. She pushed back the blankets and sat up slowly despite the sharp pains that coursed through her from her wound. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and lowered her bare feet to the cool tile floor of the hospital. Now she felt more vulnerable than ever and made sure her eyes scanned every inch and crevice of the room before she dared to take a step. First, she limped over to the windows and drew back the blinds before opening the door to her room allowing the light of the hospital corridors to flood her room. Then, she switched the wall lamps on which were perched on either side of her bed before finally allowing herself to crawl back under the blankets carefully, trying to avoid too much movement around her abdomen.

Now she could see everything in the room and this was the way she needed it. Although she still felt scared, especially when a medi-witch working the night shift would walk down the corridors with her footsteps striking fear through Hermione's heart at the possible though of her intruder coming back for her. She sat for the rest of the night, watching over her room like a hawk to ensure that the mysterious intruder didn't make another reappearance. As the seconds ticked by with a painstaking slowness, she waited for the security of the morning light.

OOO

Harry, Ginny and Draco made their way to Hermione's room in St Mungo's as soon as visiting hours had started and as they entered her room they were shocked to see Hermione sitting bolt upright in bed clutching her sheets around her. All of the wall lamps were on even though the blinds were open and light was flooding in. Her eyes were shifting nervously around the room until she caught sight of the three familiar people in the doorway causing her to sigh of relief.

She looked awful. Her face was as white as the sheets she was cocooned in with the only visible colour on her face being the crimson of her bloodshot eyes which contrasted the deep purple shading beneath them and the black bruises around her neck. Her lips had lost all colour and were excessively chapped whilst her cheeks bore the same pallor, emphasizing the smatterings of freckles.

"Hey 'Mione." Ginny cooed softly to the figure on the bed as she perched herself on the lumpy mattress next to Hermione's legs before taking her cold hands in her own. Hermione blinked and nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement.

"Do you need anything? Hungry? Thirsty?" Draco offered.

"Water would be nice, thank you." Hermione spoke quietly.

Harry stood fixed at the door, still drinking in the sight of his best friend who was before him. She was a vision of death warmed up. Harry shuffled forward and took the seat that Draco had occupied for the few days previous and grasped her other hand as she flashed him a small, unconvincing smile, trying to appease his guilt. Draco returned with a small plastic cup filled with ice cold water which she gratefully accepted from him and brought the cup to her lips allowing the cool water to hydrate her chapped lips and coarse mouth.

"Healer Rowland will have a coronary when she finds out all three of you were in here. She thinks more than one visitor at a time will overwhelm me." Hermione chuckled half-heartedly.

"Well you won't have to worry about her anymore, we're checking you out today." Harry said firmly.

"What? Surely I can't be stable enough to leave yet?" Hermione said nervously.

"Of course you're going to need lots of rest 'Mione, but Lupin thinks it better that we get you out of here as soon as possible. We don't want anybody picking up on you being here after all. Surely you want to get out?" Ginny replied.

"I don't give a damn what Lupin thinks anymore." Hermione muttered darkly before taking a sip of her water. "It's his fault I'm in here. I listened to him for the first time in my life and I've got the scar to prove it." Her lip trembled with disgust.

"Hermione, we're going to place you into hiding now. We think that this is the best course of action regarding your own personal safety and it'd give me some peace of mind too." Harry stated in a business-like tone.

Hermione paused mid-sip and her eyes narrowed at Harry. "How dare you think to come in here and dictate my life once again when all that has come as a result of people ordering me about is this!" She yelled before throwing back the sheet and yanking up her hospital shift to bear the angry wound to him. "It's because of _this_ that I can't have children anymore Harry."

"I know that Hermione." He replied.

"It's irreversible! Nothing you, or anyone else can do will ever change that. It's dictators like fucking Lupin that have done this to me!"

"Granger, please. Harry is just the messenger here. I know you're angry, but don't take it out on him." Draco warned her.

"Don't you understand? I can't back out now. I won't back out now. I was pushed into politics against my will with the goal of having the Order's influence in the Ministry. I was pushed into the running for Minister and although I offered someone else in my place I might as well have gone for it myself with all of the bloody work I do. Now you want to pull me out because Lupin hasn't thought his plan through thoroughly enough?" Her voice was cracking as she looked at each of the three trying to find someone to agree with her.

"I won't hide like a coward. It's not what I was brought up to do." She whispered finally. "I won't let Theo and Justin down, they're relying on me to help them win this. It's for the greater good."

"At what cost, Granger?" Draco snapped angrily. "Your parents? Your personal safety? Your mental health? Your sanity? What is it going to take for you to realise that you _can't _do this."

"You want to know what my parents taught me when I was a child. No sacrifice, no victory. And I'm willing to sacrifice myself if it means the people like the bastard that did this to me _never_ come into any kind of political power. I'd gladly die tomorrow if it meant a better world where people like me could live without fear of persecution because of their _inferiority_." She retorted and held out the scar on her forearm for them all to see.

"How very touching and noble of you." Draco said sardonically.

"Hermione, while you might be willing to sacrifice yourself, other people aren't and you need to think about that before you throw yourself head first back into the firing line. We're your friends, we're trying to look out for you here and you're not letting us." Harry said in a pained voice.

"I understand that you're only trying to look out for me but I won't go into hiding while people out there like me are being slaughtered like animals." She said defiantly.

"That is it Hermione!" Ginny snapped. "You know what, you _are_ going into hiding whether you like it or not! If you don't go then who else is going to die while trying to protect you? Your parents were first, who else will follow? Because I sure don't want to wait and find out. It could be me, it could be Harry, it could be Draco and then you'll mope about over how guilty you feel that you didn't listen to us before. Your parents died for you, the _very least_ you could do is ensure that their deaths weren't in vain by recklessly going out and getting yourself killed. Think with that brilliant brain you've been gifted with for just a second Hermione."

"Okay." She whispered and all eyes in the room focused on her as tears misted in her eyes again. "Okay, but I hope you know how guilty I'm feeling for doing this and how ashamed of yourselves you should be to guilt tripping me into it." Hermione chuckled slightly.

Harry starred open mouthed at his wife. "You're incredible."

She winked back at him in a flirtatious manner. "Just saying it as it is, sweetheart."

"Oh please, get a room." Draco groaned.

"With pleasure." Ginny replied quickly as she clamped her hand around Harry's wrist. "So, we done here? Yep? Give us five minutes."

Draco chuckled slightly and a small smile tugged at Hermione's lips.

"Five minutes?! Gin, give me some credit." He yelled as she dragged him from the room and shut the door firmly behind her. As the giggles dies down, Draco sat himself in the chair beside her bed.

"How're you feeling today?" He asked sincerely.

"I'm still a little sore really. I can't move much without it hurting." She admitted sheepishly.

"I expect you'll feel better in a few days."

"How long have I been here?" She asked as her brow furrowed.

"Coming up to a week now. They kept you asleep so you could heal properly, especially since your stitches could burst at any time. You gave everyone quite a scare you know."

"I gave myself a scare. I'm just glad he didn't have enough time to finish me off, but luckily you and Harry saved the day again-"She paused. "Wait a moment, how did you know something was wrong?"

Draco took a deep breath. "I'll tell you more about it when we leave and get into hiding."

"You're coming with me?"

"Dumbledore refused my offer to go out there and help Harry hunt the man down. Said my talents would be better off used to protect you." His lip curled into a sneer at the thought of Dumbledore.

"I'd be more at ease with you protecting me. He doesn't come near me when you're here."

"Too right, he knows I'd tear him apart if he dare come near you again." He growled and Hermione's heart swelled with affection at his passion for her safety.

"Do you know where we're going?"

"Yes, but I shan't disclose any details until we are away from the danger of prying eyes. I'm not risking another encounter with him again."

OOO

When they had apparated, she let go of Draco's arm and looked at the magnificent house before her. The manor she had been brought to had cobbled stone that made up its outer walls which stretched about three storeys high. There was row after row of big picture windows completed by white wooden frames, each accompanied by a set of elaborated drapes that were visible from the outside. There was an array of chimneys that stretched beyond the dormer windows on the third floor that extended over the tall gable roofs adorned in a slate tile.

There was a long gravel path that led up to the front door and stretched far back into the countryside behind them which would eventually come across a small village which housed no more than about 30 families. Alongside the path, the grass was lush and neatly trimmed and the flower beds occurred at regular intervals. They were perfectly rectangular where many of the white narcissus flowers were being grown and despite the harsh weather of the upcoming autumn, they were in perfect condition. Two great white cherry trees sat on either side of the end of the path before it opened out and widened before reaching the front entrance to the house.

"Where are we?" She breathed.

"We're somewhere in Suffolk, that's all you really need to know. This manor though was part of my Mother's dowry when she married my Father. Although I must say this was one of the nicer properties that belonged to the House of Black, wouldn't you say?"

"Of course, but aren't we likely to be found?" She asked panicked.

"Goodness no. My Mother only used this house to wait out her pregnancies and bear her children which consequently means it has barely been used. She never cared for it much and since I'm supposedly dead to the world then nobody would really come looking for us. Let alone out here in the desolate countryside of Suffolk."

"So you were born here?" She asked absent-mindedly as she delicately touched one of the flowers on the cherry tree.

"Yes. My Father never cared much for pregnant women and petulant children loitering around the Manor, so he would banish her to this smaller Manor until she bore the child."

"I thought you were an only child?"

"I am. You know what they say about Purebloods and miscarriages." He trailed off and her face dropped slightly. _At least they have the chance._ She thought to herself. They both walked inside and through the great wooden double doors where he stopped her.

"Blinky." Draco called out and with a pop an old looking house elf appeared before her.

"Oh Master Draco is back!" Blinky squeaked and launched himself at Draco's legs hugging them fiercely. "Blinky always knew Master Draco wasn't dead! Blinky knew Master Draco would return and he did!" The elf shouted gleefully.

"Blinky, this is Hermione. You will cater to her every need while she is here and you will treat her with the respect that you would treat Mistress Narcissa."

"Of course Master Draco. Would Master Draco like Blinky to show Mistress Hermione to her room?"

"That's quite alright Blinky, I shall take her."

"Yes Master Draco." Blinky replied and disapparated with a pop.

Draco turned to Hermione. "Before you say anything, he is my own personal elf and he has never been abused by my hand. He is very comfortable living here and he enjoys his work."

"How can I trust you?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Well if you didn't trust me enough already with me being your protector, I'd say you had issues but if you need proof." He huffed. "Blinky." He called out again and the elf appeared before him again. Draco dug into the pocket of his black overcoat and pulled out a glove which he presented to Blinky. The house elf looked at Draco curiously and then back to the glove. His lower lip started to tremble and his big blue eyes started to water, then he let out a wail.

"Oh Master Draco! Whatever did Blinky do wrong?" He fell to his knees and crawled up to Draco's shoes and clung to them as he sobbed loudly. "Was the Manor not kept to Master Draco's liking? Please Master, Blinky doesn't want the glove!"

"You see what you did." He shot a look at Hermione who looked shocked and befuddled at the same time. "It's alright Blinky, I was merely offering you my gloves to put away safely. The Manor is in pristine condition, well done."

The elf sniffled. "Thank you Master Draco. Thank you." Blinky jumped up off the floor and took the gloves from Draco before disapparating again.

"You made him upset." He said to her.

"That is the strangest thing I've ever seen. A house elf who doesn't desire freedom." She said confusedly.

"It's all he's ever known. Remember, he's served in my family since before I was born. He's very happy here. Not all house elves are like Dobby."

"So it would seem." She muttered embarrassed.

"Well, now that's out of the way. Would you like to see your room?" He asked.

"Lead the way." She offered and he turned and started for the dark wooded staircase with her following behind. They came out on the second floor and began trekking down a long hall of doors, she counted along her way so she didn't forget which room was her own. Until he paused and opened a door wide and stepped aside to present it to her.

The room was much larger than any other she had stayed in before. It had cream walls and a wooden ceiling which matched the extensive variety of furniture which completed the room. In the centre pushed against the back wall there was a giant queen-sized four poster bed with white sheets and an embroidered blanket thrown over the top and an elaborate pillow arrangement, then stretching across from post to post were translucent netted curtains which could be drawn at will.

Opposite to the bed there was a huge bay window which overlooked the gardens which bloomed with a variety of flowers Hermione was sure she didn't even know the name of. Perched in front of the window were two cream armchairs accompanied by plump red pillows that sat on either side of a small wooden end table on which sat a vase of flowers. Much to Hermione's delight, there was a bookshelf, a wardrobe, a fireplace and a dressing table, each of which matched the same wood of the ceiling from which hung a small chandelier.

"Is it to your liking?" He asked.

"It's beautiful." She breathed.

"Yes, it is." He replied although she was oblivious to the fact that his gaze was firmly fixed on her as he had said it. "Well, if you'd like to get yourself settled in, I have some things to oversee. If you need me, or anything else, call for Blinky."

She ran her fingers across the bedspread as she wandered around her room, inspecting each tiny detail. She was particularly thrilled when she discovered that the bookshelf housed an entire selection of Jane Austen novels, something she'd been anxious to read for a long while now. She caressed the spines of the books inhaling the familiar smell of them and pulled out a book at random before curling up in one of the armchairs overlooking the garden when she started to read. After all, reading seemed the only thing which could offer her solace from her destructive state of mind. Perhaps staying here wouldn't be so bad after all?

Draco was confused with his feelings for the little Muggle-Born across the hall and he couldn't understand it. A few weeks previous, all he'd wanted to do was rip her clothes off her and pound her into a mattress but now everything was so different. After seeing her being broken piece by piece had really hurt him more than what he had expected it too. At first separation from her after they came back from Australia seemed like a good idea and so he left her to grieve over her parents' deaths since he really wasn't too good with handling crying witches so he'd went about his business in Australia with Harry as they tried to pick up some clues as to what could possibly have happened.

He would listen to Harry's rants about how Hermione shouldn't be going back out to work again until they could determine she was safe and they had identified the culprit at least. Then he had attended the funeral, he hadn't spoken to her but he watched her in silent admiration as she sat alone whilst the service was being conducted and he saw not one single tear slip. She had held herself together with a grace he was sure only his Mother could truly handle. Although throughout the entirety of their separation, she hadn't left his thoughts once.

Then came the vision. When he had found her he had panicked at the amount of blood she was losing and he had seriously thought he was going to lose her. He had stormed into the room, he was in the right mind-set to kill and his wand hand was twitching as he tried to restrain the urge to blow something up as he made his way to her. But as soon as she had collapsed, all thoughts regarding the attacker had vanished from his head as he had desperately tried to keep her alive because in all honesty he couldn't imagine life without engaging in some pointless argument or flirtatious banter with her at all, he couldn't imagine going on in life without a witch who actually had some form of feelings for him rather than his money and the revelation had scared him.

He'd stayed at her side throughout visiting hours each day during her unconsciousness after her surgery in St Mungo's praying to every deity he had never believed in to thank them for her life. He had seen how small and defenceless she had looked in that big bed, he had seen the gruesome scar that she now wore on her lower stomach and it hurt him to know that someone had hurt her. He kept replaying the vision over in his mind, the vision that only hinted at what he might have done to her had he and Harry not come to rescue her when they did and the more he imagined, the angrier he got until he could feel the air around him practically crackling with a raw and powerful kind of magic he hadn't ever experienced.

He had seen the terror in her eyes at the thought of being left alone. He seen her heartfelt pain when she was told that she might never have children and he had been shocked that a woman so strong as Hermione Granger who had held her head high during one of the lowest points in her life had finally been broken beyond repair. He saw little glimpses of her old self now and again but most of the time she was simply a broken spirit and he didn't like that. Because he cared.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, so I'm speeding things up Dramione-wise now since it's important for the plot that stuff happens now. I'm sorry if it seems a little quick, I just didn't want to drag it out for too much longer and I can't make up a whole chapter of fillers. From now, there will be quite a bit of time skipping since I really can't be assed to write out weeks worth of nothing. SO yeah ;3_

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**_Chapter XXI_**

The worst part about staying in this Manor for Hermione, was the nights. She had been scarred by her experiences with this intruder to the extent where she was too scared to go to sleep. She couldn't face being in the dark during the night still, after many weeks since the occurrence. She had thought it might have been a passing phase but it only seemed to get worse. The first few weeks at the Manor had given her no sleep at all, she was too petrified to go to sleep at night and would often nap during the day to keep her energy up, although it was causing physical strain on her.

She daren't talk to Draco about it, since he probably wouldn't want to listen to the whining of a scared little girl after all and she was embarrassed about it herself. During the day she would often stay out of Draco's way and go about her own business exploring the Manor, reading in the different rooms or enjoying the garden which was her favourite part. She would often get out of bed as soon as the morning came and sit out under the cherry trees next to the pond and watch as the sun rose.

Due to her absence in the Ministry, she had insisted that she be allowed to contact Theo and Justin, still offering ideas for the campaign or receiving little bits of paperwork that needed seeing to. However these had to travel through Blinky to ensure that the letters reached the two of the personally and were destroyed afterwards.

She would eat her meals with Draco. Or rather, she would sit there and pick at her food whilst Draco ate and he would often push her to eat some more before she left the table when she really had no appetite to stomach any food at all. She had noticed how her appearance was deteriorating as the days went by and she looked more and more like a walking corpse, which did nothing to help her confidence at all. If she wasn't reading, working or resting the only other thing she would do, would be to mope aimlessly about the house stuck in a reverie of despair as she relived the past months. It wasn't something she really chose to do, she just slipped into it from time to time.

One night went particularly wrong, for it was the first night since the attack when she had actually fallen asleep and shortly after she had, she fell into a pool of fitful nightmares that haunted her to her very soul. She was reliving the experiences over and over although this time, nobody was coming to save her.

Draco had been awake while this was happening, trying to keep up with Harry as the investigation progressed and Harry had a few ideas as to who it might be, for now though he was making tabs on his suspects although he wouldn't voice his theories yet to Draco which confused him greatly but he thought it must be for the best. He had just finished rereading through Harry's last letter as he paced his room running a hand through his hair when he heard it. A piercing feminine scream which ripped through the silence of the house.

He dropped the piece of parchment and ran quickly down the hall and into Hermione's room where she was screaming and thrashing about on the bed. In a moment of panic he rushed to her bedside and shook her, trying to awake her from the nightmare she was witnessing.

"No. Get off me!" She screamed through her sleep as she struggled against him.

"Hermione! Wake up. Wake up, you're having a nightmare." He spoke softly to her as he felt her body relax.

Her eyes snapped open and she immediately took in the scene before her. She wasn't dead. She hadn't been violated. She was safe. The relief flooded her, bringing her to tears as she sat up in bed and pressed her head into Draco's bare chest as he rocked her gently. She sobbed loudly as she curled her arms around his waist pulling him closer to her and it took everything in him to try and hold it together.

"I'm sorry." She whispered into his chest after she had stopped crying.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. You were having a nightmare." He soothed as he stroked her hair lovingly. He scooped her up into his arms as he settled himself onto her bed pulling her so that she was curled up in his lap. Being in such close proximity to her again was intoxicating, he hadn't been able to touch her like this ever and he definitely revelled in it. Even though she was upset, she had allowed him to comfort her, and touch her and there's no place he'd rather be.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked.

"I don't even want to think about it, Draco." She replied.

"It was about him, wasn't it?"

"How could it not be? Every time I close my eyes he's there waiting to catch me on my own again." She choked.

"He's not going to touch you, not when I've got anything to say about it."

"I hope so." She whispered in return.

He rocked her gently in his lap until he was sure she was asleep when he decided it would be better if he left in case he got too used to something that might never happen again. He kissed the top of her head daringly and slowly curled an arm under her knees while keeping the other one to hold her back as he slowly lifted her off and onto the mattress next to him trying not to wake her. Then he turned the lamps off and made for the door.

"Don't go." He heard her scared whisper. Several shallow breaths followed. "I'm scared." She admitted and as soon as the words had passed her lips she felt relief of having shared her burden. She reached back over to the bedside table and turned the lamp back on so he could see her properly again. He didn't understand it, brown uncontrollable hair, brown watery eyes, pale skin streaked with tears, pink lips and a body that had lost far too much weight. She was so dull, so ordinary, so common yet he still found her undeniably beautiful. Merlin, he was falling deep. And when she looked at him with pleading eyes he couldn't deny her despite the fact that it was going against everything he knew. He never literally slept with women, and yet here he was about to do just that to dry the tears on her perfect little face.

"I'm weak okay? There you have it, I'm weak because I dream about the things that he could've done to me but he didn't, even when others haven't been so lucky."

He swooped back on the bed and pulled her to him again. "Don't you dare say you're weak, not for one second. You can't be expected to go through something like that and remain unaffected. You've lasted so much longer than many people would have you know."

"Don't leave me this time. Please. I can't stand to be alone." He hugged her tighter at the sound of her pained words. She was so broken which made him more determined to fix her. He wanted to be everything she wanted, everything she needed and more. He wanted to make sure that nothing made her feel this way again. He wriggled about trying to make himself comfortable and pulled her to his chest. This was where she belonged.

"Do you want me to leave the light on?" He whispered into her hair.

"Does it bother you?" She asked in return.

"Not particularly."

"Can we leave it on?"

"Whatever you need." He replied and felt her smile into his chest as they both drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

OOO

Each night she fell asleep then he would always hear her pained screams from his room and would go in and comfort her until she would fall asleep, until it happened so often it became some sort of unspoken agreement between the two of them. He would come to her bed each night and hold her while she slept, which she was grateful for since he seemed to chase the nightmares away. Each morning when they awoke and she had survived another night without a nightmare, they would find themselves entangled around the other in a pile of limbs in the middle of the mattress. It was a way of waking up that he could get used to. Although for her, things were very confusing. Of course she was grateful to Draco for obliging to her silly request but there was something deeper there, something more carnal that stirred deep inside of her at the thought of having Draco Malfoy in her bed where no other woman could have him and as the days progressed she would feel herself looking forward to crawling back into bed with him despite the threat of the nightmares.

Then one morning, she had a rather mild nightmare that shocked her out of sleep. It wasn't as vivid as the others had been yet it had still scared her slightly. She smiled when she felt Draco wrapped around her, his hand was curled around her waist to pull her in to him and she could feel his slow and steady breaths on the back of her neck as he slept. Casting a swift look out of the window, she could tell it had just passed daybreak and so decided she might as well get up although she was slightly alarmed at the part of her that wanted to stay wrapped in Draco's arms.

She shifted slightly and he instinctively pulled her closer causing a smile to spread across her face.

"Mmhm…Hermione….." He mumbled through sleep and Hermione's eyes widened and her heart fluttered. Draco Malfoy was dreaming about her. This couldn't be. Could it?

OOO

She had sat out by the little pond later that day humming quietly to herself to try and stop herself from daring to think the thoughts that she wanted to. She had debated with herself over and over what could possibly be happening between her and Draco, if anything? Of course she cared for him greatly and he was indispensable to her happiness and state of mind at the moment. He cared for her tenderly whenever she would wake from a nightmare, he would scold her when she didn't eat enough, he would offer to lend an ear when she seemed deep in thought and he cuddled her at night.

When she put it like that in her head, it sounded as though they had some romantic involvement with each other. Although they did, they had kissed once all those weeks ago but she had put it down to a fleeting moment of unspoken need. But the more she thought about it, the more that she wanted it again. She loved it when he whispered her name when he slept, she loved it when he would pull her close at night, she loved that he cared enough about her to notice how much she was eating, she loved the way that one simple look from him would make her feel like the most beautiful creature in the world, she loved how he growled protectively whenever the topic of her attacker arose but most importantly, she feared that she might just love him. No, love was too strong a word for her. It was something she had never experienced. She simply cared for him more than she should really allow herself.

She blanched and her body stiffened at the realisation. This couldn't be. She couldn't allow this. It had to stop, now.

OOO

She sat by the pond for a long time, allowing the calming trickle of the water lull her into a daze, taking her away from the thoughts that kept plaguing her mind. How on Earth had she come to care this much for him? Of course he was the perfect gentleman, not to start off with of course but perhaps she could put it down to sympathy? She felt so hopeless, the one thing she had always wanted from life was someone who would care for her and now, at the one time she didn't want it, she got it.

She didn't know when, but at some point he'd come out of the house and sat himself next to her, watching as she nibbled on her lip frustratingly. This couldn't happen, her chest was heaving, she was hyperventilating, worrying too much over this.

"Are you alright, Granger?" He asked softly and that was her trigger. She burst out into frustrated tears at her own feelings. She wished she could wish them away, spell them away even. She couldn't let anybody close to her now, they'd only get taken away from her again. She was a dangerous disease, once you caught it you'd end up dead. She couldn't allow that to happen. Not to Draco, he didn't deserve it.

"Hey, what's the matter with you?" He cooed to her as he pulled her into an embrace and caught the tears that were trailing down her cheeks. "Please don't cry, I hate it when you cry." That confirmed it. Right there, that one sentence told her enough to know that her suspicions were correct and her head snapped up and she met his gaze. She stared at him for what felt like a long time until she felt temptation creeping up on her and in a moment of weakness, she allowed her gaze to drop to his lips. He took this as incentive and swooped forward to claim her lips with his own.

It felt just as good as she'd remembered, sending delicious jolts of desire shooting through her making it all the more harder to stop. He traced the outline of her lips with his tongue begging for entrance which she didn't give as she tried desperately to pull away from him. Everything about him was inviting her in yet she fought against it and pushed herself away from him almost reluctantly. Her body and heart were screaming at her refusal but her brain was giving her a standing applause.

"Draco, we can't do this. I…I shouldn't have done that." She placed a hand to her lips and tried to scramble up from the ground beside the pond and away from him as quickly as she could. He shot up and made after as she half-walked, half-ran back through the gardens however the pursuit was in his favour having long legs provided a person with the ability for longer strides so he caught up to her quickly.

He put his hand on her shoulder and whirled her around. "Why do you deny yourself? You know you want this too. You've wanted this ever since Australia and we both know it. Just give in."

"Draco…" She started.

"No. You know you want it as much as I do. No amount of denial will make it go away Hermione. There's more between us than this."

"And what if there was Draco?" She cried exasperatedly, trying to ignore the pain clenching around her own heart. "Every second we would be together, I'd be putting you in danger and you'd be putting me in danger. Don't you see, Draco? It could never work between us. One of us-no, both of us, would end up dead. They'd use you against me to try and get me to back out of the Ministry and to them, you're a traitor. Who knows what they might do to me to punish you if they ever found out about us. I couldn't do this, even if I wanted to." She finished as a lone tear fell from her lashes.

He wasn't easily deterred and grabbed both of her hands with his own. "And do you want to Hermione?"

She shook her head. "It isn't a case of if I want to or not because the outcome will be the same. Everybody I care for ends up dead, Draco."

"No. This is all it comes down to, whether or not you want to because I certainly do. You don't need to say it Hermione but you need me. You need me to wipe away your tears when you cry at night, you need me to chase away the nightmares when they come back to haunt you but most of all after all of the horror you have survived you just need someone to let you feel that you're loved." His voice cracked on the last word and he could see the conflict in her eyes.

"Sometimes we have to think of others before ourselves."

"Why me, Granger?" He asked suddenly.

"Why? Because I'm lonely Draco. I'm petrified at the thought of being alone, I always have been and then you came back into my life and you were the only one who would ever spare me a second glance. Do you know how much that meant to me? When I'm around you, I don't feel all of the pain and the guilt. Somehow, the nightmares don't seem so bad knowing that they won't last forever." Her face was streaming with tears as she spoke and he wanted nothing more than to make her his.

"You're scared as to what will happen when people will know of us. The solution is simple isn't it? Nobody has to know. We could keep it a secret, that way neither of us will get hurt." He offered hopefully.

"We'd be living a lie. Could you look at Harry in the face every day and lie to him about me, lie to the rest of the Order while we both sneak off to be with each other? What would it feel like if I were hurt and you had to uphold your act of indifference so nobody suspected us? I don't know about you Draco, but I couldn't do that. I couldn't sit there every time you went on another mission and act like nothing was wrong."

"You can't dismiss something you haven't tried Hermione. We don't know it's going to be like this. Look at me please." He pleaded and he placed his hands on either side of her face and turned her to look at him. "Don't take the easy way out."

"There is no easy way. Don't you see. Everything I do will end up with both of us hurting but this way at least you have a chance to move on while you still can."

"Hermione, remember what you said back at St Mungo's? No sacrifice, no victory. We can do this together. Just trust me." He brought his lips to hers once more in a frantic effort to try and persuade her but a strangled cry of protest came from the back of her throat and she broke off the kiss.

"I do trust you, Draco. But I won't be responsible for you or anyone else getting hurt. I'm sorry."

She wriggled out of his grasp and made her way quickly back inside the house. One silly part of her wished he'd follow her again but the rational part of her quickly dismissed it and was glad when she looked over her shoulder to see that he hadn't moved. She knew that she was doing the right thing, if they had went along with his plan and kept it a secret then he would only grow to resent her for it and she knew it. If only he could see as clearly as she but his vision was clouded with his obvious want and desire to have her, something she wanted too but couldn't give in to. She would always care for him but she would have to do so from afar, no matter how much it hurt her now because she knew if she gave into him, it would only hurt a lot more. She spent the rest of the day weeping in her room, trying to convince herself that what she had done was for the greater good.

She didn't come out to eat when Blinky came and announced that dinner was ready since she already felt as though she might be sick from crying all day so food would have been a bad idea. Instead she sat and read through the latest letters from Justin concerning their current standing in the polls and it was getting significantly better meaning she still had some hope yet.

She dreaded each passing moment as she watched the sun sinking in the distance. How would she fare with her nightmares tonight? _Well, better not prolong the inevitable._ She sighed to herself and slowly went about her nightly routine before clambering into bed with both of the lamps on, the drapes still open and the door slightly ajar allowing the light from the hallway to spill in. She settled down with a copy of _Northanger Abbey_ until she could no longer prevent the drooping of her eyelids. When she finally allowed her eyes to close, she hoped and prayed that tonight she would sleep peacefully even though she knew that tonight would be no different.

She lay there for a while with her eyes closed, allowing herself the indulgence of a simple daydream to try and distract her mind of the image of her attacker although it went on for what seemed like hours and she still found herself awake. Her body stilled when she heard a creak of the door and she daren't move, she was paralyzed. She couldn't help but imagine that her attacker was creeping through the room again but she didn't want to open her eyes to confirm the worst case scenario. Her blood ran cold and she tried her hardest to act as though she were asleep, keeping her eyelids still and her breathing deep and steady. She felt a light touch of a hand across her cheek and all previous feelings of fear flooded from her, the hand wasn't gloved so there was only one other person it could possibly be. She felt slightly unnerved that he was watching her as she slept and tried even harder to remain still under his scrutinizing gaze.

"You will be mine, Hermione Granger, make no mistake about that." He whispered into the silence before she felt his presence shift away from her and out of the room. She breathed a sigh of relief and tried to calm her pounding heart, and for once, she desperately hoped that he was wrong.

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_Okay, I know its kinda fluffy. But I need some fluff in here since I'm going to do cruel things to them later. It's only fair! Besides, its something to keep y'all going ;3_


	22. Chapter 22

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, nothing important really, but I'd just like to say a big thank you to all of you out there so far who have reviewed. I have to say, without you guys, I don't think the story would be going as well. You really make it worth sitting up all night trying to finish a chapter, I must say :3_

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**_Chapter XXII_**

Draco had been more and more attentive to Hermione since the little episode in the garden, he wanted to convince her that he wasn't giving up. He knew she wanted him too but because of her own reservations she wouldn't allow it which made him all the more determined to prove to her that it would work. He made sure he did nothing to make her feel uncomfortable which unfortunately meant he couldn't touch her like he wanted to.

The only time she would let him was if she had a nightmare, he would come in almost every night and calm her from her hysteria and hold her until she fell asleep again. Then he would leave so she didn't feel overwhelmed by him, even though there was no other place he wanted to be. He would make her realise that she needed him too although it became harder and harder to be close to her with each passing day without the pain in his chest, the longing of wanting to touch her, the hurt that she looked so sad all of the time.

There were still many words in the air that had been left unsaid, but he didn't want to make her cry again. It truly was a heart-breaking sight, especially since she had cried so much already. So the silence hung between the two of them most of the time, it wasn't awkward as such, just tense as she braced herself waiting for him to bring it up again, but he never did until a few nights later.

It was raining rather heavily outside, the sound of the constant pitter patter on the windows upset her because now her hearing was distracted and she couldn't listen out for the noises that were more important like the sound of creeping footsteps across the hall or a smooth voice emanating from the corner of her bedroom. She began to get fidgety in her bed until she could no longer stand it and so she grabbed her robe and tied it around herself haphazardly as she fled from the room.

Once in the hall, she let out a sigh of relief. She could see in both directions now and so she would be able to spot anybody from all the way down the halls. She felt ashamed of herself again for being too scared to sleep on her own because of a little rain and so she decided she'd best not seek out Draco especially considering their current circumstances. It would be far too cruel to lead him on even more, regardless of the fact that she needed him. Instead, she decided she would go and explore some of the doors she hadn't previously investigated and so she quietly crept across the carpeted hallway until she reached the far end of the hall. On a whim, she decided on the last door and so she slipped inside.

Thankfully, the lamps in the room were charmed to switch on when someone entered and so she didn't have to worry too much about being in the dark again. But what the light uncovered was something she had never expected to find in a house such as this. It looked like a child's nursery which Hermione assumed must have been Draco's however it was far different from what she would ever have expected. Any person would have thought to have found a room donned in green and silver with a multitude of Slytherin based items littered about. However to Hermione, it looked like a perfectly normal nursery.

The paintings on the walls were enchanted with various Quidditch scenes with wizards on brooms flying from wall to wall, Snitches whizzing about and Quaffles floating. In the middle was a single bed made of the same dark wood that seemed to be used throughout the house and it was completed by a bedspread which bore the Malfoy crest and motto on it which Hermione thought was incredibly snobbish but it could only be expected of the esteemed Malfoys. There were plenty of magical toys Hermione had never seen before, as well as what looked like Draco's Nimbus 2001.

"Can Blinky help Mistress Hermione?" Came a voice that caused Hermione to shriek as she jumped.

"Oh, Blinky." She breathed placing a hand over her chest to calm herself.

"Yes Mistress Hermione?" The elf replied. Hermione slumped to the floor as the house elf approached her. Looking up, she noticed a large portrait on the wall of the three Malfoys, Lucius was standing tall donned in what were probably his finest robes. Narcissa was seated in front of him dressed in a Slytherin green gown whilst Lucius' hand rested on her shoulder. Her hair was tamed in a neat chignon that rested towards the nape of her neck and her hands were rested in her lap. Beside her and in front of Lucius was a small boy of the age of about six and Hermione could definitely see remnants of this Draco in her Draco today.

"How long have you been with the Malfoys Blinky?" She asked curiously.

"Blinky was placed under Mistress Narcissa to help with Mistress' pregnancies."

"What is she like?" Hermione asked looking at Narcissa's particularly sad expression. She couldn't imagine being married to Lucius Malfoy had made her very happy at all.

"Mistress Narcissa being a kind Mistress to Blinky. She never hit Blinky like Master Lucius did." The elf visibly shuddered. "Mistress Narcissa being a sad Mistress though, Mistress Hermione. Master Lucius wasn't nice to her."

"I can imagine he wasn't." She snorted as she kept her gaze fixed on the woman in the portrait. Draco had never really talked about his parents at all. Of course she had met Lucius before her Second Year in Flourish and Blotts and from that brief encounter she could tell he wasn't a very pleasant man. Then there was their encounter at the Department of Mysteries where her dislike grew into disdain and loathing, she had never cared much for Draco's Father but his Mother was someone she would like to hear more of.

When she turned around, the house elf had gone and in his place stood Draco with his head tilted as he gazed at her. Standing before her in nothing but a robe, seeming as though he were about to get into bed.

"I'm sorry for intruding." She whispered instantly as she made to get up, but instead he sat on the floor with her, propping his knees up in front of him.

"You're not intruding. You're just curious aren't you?" He teased and she smiled bashfully.

"What is your Mother like Draco? You never speak of her much. In fact, I can't recall you ever speaking of her at all." Her brows knitted together as she spoke and he blanched slightly. He hadn't really thought much of his Mother since he had joined the Order all those years ago. That was when he had missed her most and worried for her welfare but since then she had only become a fleeting thought across his mind every now and again and he felt quite guilty for it.

"Contrary to popular belief, my Mother isn't as cold-hearted and aloof as people make her out to be. She was an exemplary Mother to me and she loved me with all of her being. She was nothing like my Aunt Bella, quite the opposite really. She was very kind, had the heart of a Hufflepuff really but she was always sad."

"She sounds lovely, why ever did she marry your Father then?" Hermione asked.

"That's the million galleon question isn't it? Why would a woman like her shackle herself to a monster like my Father? It was an arranged marriage, obviously. My Father always desired my Mother through their years at Hogwarts together but she didn't return his affections. Or so I've been told."

"I'm not surprised." She murmured.

"My Father told me his version of the story before I entered my Sixth Year, to try and turn me against her."

"Turn you against her? Why? What had she done?"

"Being as beautiful as she was, she already had affections for another wizard when my Father took interest in her. Even when they had married she never truly loved my Father, but had been forced into the match by their families. He told me she had planned to run away with this wizard, and she would've done too if he hadn't gotten her pregnant."

"The only way to forever tie her to him." She gasped in realisation.

He nodded. "He told me she was so desperate not to stay with him, that she had tried to get rid of me on occasion. But, evidently I hung in there."

"Was it true?" She placed a hand over her mouth as she looked to him.

"When I confronted her about it, she didn't deny it. But then she told me that as soon as I was born she forgot all about her wizard because he was no longer her whole world, because I was." Her eyes teared up as he continued. "I rarely saw my Father during my early childhood since he had no time for petulant children like myself, so me and my Mother practically lived here. Of course we would be summoned to the Manor on occasion where Father would be cruel to both of us but my Mother would always protect me from him. She would free me from the dungeons if he had locked me there, she would nurse me better if he hurt me, she would hold me whilst I cried when he scared me, she would shower me with love and affection when he gave me none. And then, she sent Sirius to save me when he had me set up to die." He finished as he glared at the face of his Father in the portrait.

"I had no idea." She whispered through a sob.

"No, nobody did. Save for perhaps the house elves who had to tend to my Mother's bruises so she was fit to be seen publicly."

"Blinky?"

"Yes, Blinky was my Mother's favourite but he was given to me as the Malfoy heir. But it's all thanks to her that I'm not another living, breathing version of Lucius." He said his name with an evident disdain. "Except all the way through my adolescence, I idolized my Father. I wanted to _be_ my Father which is my poor excuse as to why I behaved so abhorrently towards you. It really was inexcusable."

"We weren't any better, really." She sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"In Second Year, we were all convinced that you were the heir of Slytherin and so we had Harry and Ron polyjuice into Crabbe and Goyle and sneak into the Slytherin Common Room to try and weasel a confession out of you." She teased.

"Are you kidding me? Well to be honest, it wouldn't take a lot to pass for those two dolts. Where were you and your noble intentions when these two were running about in the dungeons then?"

"Well. I was _supposed_ to be there to as Millicent Bulstrode-"He put a hand to her mouth to stop her speaking.

"I've heard enough. Millicent Bulstrode…"He shuddered in disgust. "Not a pleasant sight."

"I wasn't a pleasant sight either. Most girls are rather sensitive about their appearances you know." She wriggled her nose to try and look indifferent.

"I don't understand it." He rolled his eyes.

"Well, you wouldn't. Have you ever had someone tell you that you're not good enough? Compare you to other girls, prettier girls? Tell you that you're ugly so repeatedly that you actually start to believe them?"

"I sincerely hope you aren't talking about yourself."

"Well I wasn't exactly the most attractive girl at Hogwarts, was I? You certainly never failed to point it out alongside the rest of Slytherin House. But to answer your question, no I find myself quite adequate looking."

"That's an understatement. I bet none of the girls at Hogwarts could even hold a candle to you now." He was looking at her with desire burning deep in those silvery depths, a desire she recognised all too well.

"Please don't look at me that way." She fidgeted so she was slightly away from him. "We talked about this, Draco." She warned but he was undeterred and leant in towards her. She had to think of something quickly. She quickly scrambled up off the floor and out of his reach. "Draco, if you care for me you'd stop doing this. You know we can't." She had a horrible feeling that this wouldn't be the end of it, he would keep trying and trying and she knew he would wear her resistance thin so the only way she was going to be able to stop him would be to shoot him down with painful lies.

She steadied herself and calmed her breathing. "Draco, I don't care for you the way you think I do. You're my friend and one of the only people I can really talk to. Don't ruin this please." She felt her throat clogging up with the lump of emotion and so she had to make a quick getaway before he could see through her pitiable act. She turned on her heel and quickly ran from the room praying that he didn't follow her so he didn't notice the tears that were streaming down her face in abandon.

This time, she shut her bedroom door fully so that she didn't have to face the consequences of the painful lie she just told, at least until morning anyway. She couldn't bear to imagine the pain that she had just caused him although she knew if it were anything like what she were feeling right now then it was pure agony. Sometimes she questioned why she didn't just give into him, it's what they both wanted after all but it would be so hard. How could they lie to everyone they knew? Or if they decided that they would let it out, how would they be able to watch over the other's safety while he was away on missions for the Order and she was playing the role of the Undersecretary. There's no way it could work.

Well, for one thing she was certain that she wouldn't be going to sleep tonight. She stared out of the window, admiring the endless ripples made by each raindrop as it hit the surface of the pond knowing if she went to sleep she would only be graced with another nightmare meaning Draco would no doubt come and comfort her which she couldn't allow him to after the pain she had just caused him. She eyed the room until she spied her wand resting innocently on the bedside table. There was no use for the damned thing anymore anyway, her magic had died along with her happiness. Even simple accomplishments like an Accio didn't work, or simply drained far too much magic out of her so she didn't bother with it. That is until now.

She mustered up all the determination that she had left in her small and frail body before grabbing the wood of her wand feeling the familiar connection between her magical core and her wand once more making her feel invigorated. Perhaps this was a good sign? She turned to face the opposite wall where she spied her purse lying innocently on the desk.

"Accio purse." She started off. Her purse didn't come flying towards her as she had hoped it would.

"Accio purse!" She yelled sternly. The purse twitched although following that, it didn't budge again. She became increasingly frustrated, she was the brightest witch of her age, now reduced to being practically a squib because of her trauma.

"ACCIO PURSE!" She screamed and the purse fell off the desk but still didn't charge towards her. She was fuming now, and wrapping her robe tightly around her she stormed out of her room and made for the back door where she ran out into the rain which beat heavily down upon her. She thought perhaps a little pressure might act as a catalyst in helping her in getting her magic under control again. By now her robe was clinging to her and her hair was in rats tails down her back, but she didn't care for it as she took out her wand from the sleeve of her robe calmly, taking a moment to allow the smooth wood of the vine to calm her senses just like it always had done ever since she had started practising magic.

The rain was cold against her skin and her wet robe was irritating her but she tried to push it to the back of her mind as she concentrated of the flow of magic in her blood. It was there, she was making progress however it was only a faint buzz in comparison to what it used to be. She tried desperately to direct all of her magic towards her wand where she hoped she would have enough to cast a simple drying charm to prevent the cold and rain getting to her.

She closed her eyes and focused only on the flow of magic through her fingertips feeling them tingle. She pushed every negative feeling into the back of her mind if only for a moment and tried to forget about all of the grief and trauma she had experienced. She tried to let the feeling of love wash over her. Her parents loved her. Harry loved her. Ginny loved her. Sirius loved her. Ron loved her. Draco might also love her. The thought sent a rush through her and she didn't waste any time and with a complicated flick of her wand she squealed at the feeling of her magic being channelled and as a result of the drying charm she was blasted with a surge of hot air that dried her robe and her hair as she cried tears of joy.

When it was over, the rain began to soak through her now dry robe yet again but she was too happy to notice. She was elated even. She clasped her wand in both of her hands and looked up to the dark clouded night sky and whispered her grateful praises. She could finally accomplish magic, of course if wasn't stable yet but she had made some exciting progress tonight.

She felt a tugging on the bottom of her robe and she snapped out of her joyful daze to see Blinky standing in the rain under a stronger drying charm whilst holding out a tartan blanket for her.

"Mistress Hermione be coming inside now?" The elf looked up at her with sympathetic eyes. He handed her the blanket which she accepted gracefully and he took her by the hand and walked back in the direction of the back door whilst she was still feeling the afterglow of being able to perform her magic once again.

"Is Mistress Hermione okay?" Blinky asked concerned, noting the tears streaks down Hermione's face. She smiled whilst trying to keep her tears at bay and nodded her head frantically.

"I have my magic back Blinky."

"Did Mistress lose her magic?" Blinky asked shocked as he cast a drying charm on Hermione allowing her to relive the thrill of magic again.

"Yes Blinky, it happens because witches and wizards have their magic tied to their emotions and when something bad happens and they feel sad then their magic doesn't work as well." She explained.

"Does Mistress Hermione feel sad?" The elf frowned as he magicked a steaming cup of Yorkshire tea - which Draco had informed him was her favourite - and presented it before her which she gratefully took.

"No Blinky, I'm happier now." She sighed into her cup of tea and for the first time in a long time, she actually was.


	23. Chapter 23

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, it's been a few days but I've been rewriting some of the chapters I haven't published yet because I didn't like them so sorry about that, got a little carried away I think!_

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_**Chapter XXIII**  
_

He had spent the last few days actually wondering if what she had said had been the truth. Surely it could not have been? This is what he tried to tell himself although the seed of doubt had been firmly planted now and he couldn't stop himself from thinking about how she had said it so coldly although he was still unsure of whether or not to actually believe her.

Since that night he had thought a lot more of his Mother. He hadn't heard from her since he was 16, nearly 3 years ago now and he didn't even spare a second over those 3 years to think how she had been faring living with that monster she called a husband and his own pitiful excuse for a Father. He was sure she would be alright however with recent developments with the Death Eaters over the years and how active they had become, he couldn't help but worry for her safety. Especially since his Father was more likely to take his rage out on her when things with the _Master _became too much.

It had started off as fleeting pieces of a dream, each night he would go to bed and see his Mother. First of all, it had started out as a simple flash of an image. She was running through what appeared to be a densely wooded area, wearing one of her fine, floaty summer robes which where billowing around her, clinging to her legs as she ran, she was smiling so Draco had assumed all was well and that his Mother was merely crossing his mind enough to feature in his dreams.

Things had progressed each night and he would see a little more of the dream which started to worry him a little. He never had recurring dreams in his life, the only odd dreams being the visions he would have but that had happened only twice in his life regarding significant events, usually regarding a matter of life or death. First it had been the plot to assassinate Dumbledore, then it had been the second attack on Hermione and those had been years in between so he assumed that nothing was out of the ordinary.

He had received a letter that morning that Harry had delivered via Blinky.

_Malfoy,_

_First off, how is Hermione faring lately? She hasn't written back to me in a while and I'm starting to get a little concerned about her. Do keep an extra close watch on her Malfoy since I've managed to narrow down my suspects so I'm down to one now and I'm sure it's him and trust me Malfoy, you're not going to like it one bit._

_I was going over the memory of apparating after the attacker on the night of the second attack on Hermione, when something interesting came up. I must admit while I was actually in the moment, it hadn't caught my notice particularly since my determination to catch the fool was blinding me. But it seems when I revisited my memory, the attacker hadn't expected me to grab onto his apparation strands and follow him. Guess where I ended up the first time for a few seconds before he disapparated? __Malfoy Manor._

_I'm pretty sure you now realise who it is we've been looking for and I'm sorry you had to find it out via letter of all things. Watch Hermione, Malfoy. I'm going to investigate him just to see if I can find any evidence before I present it to the Order and eventually the Ministry so you're the only one besides me who knows. Don't do anything stupid or rash in your anger Malfoy, I know what you're like but you will keep you're sorry arse in Suffolk until I can clear up in Wiltshire. _

_Don't tell Hermione anything just yet, I want to confirm my suspicions first but I have a hunch that we're closing in on him this time so it'll all be over soon and Hermione will be safe, thank the Gods. __Remember. Stay Put._

_Harry._

Draco clenched his fists in anger, the letter firmly scrunched inside one. Too right he would do something stupid and rash in this state of mind because his Father. _His_ monster of a Father had caused the woman that he cared about to endure so much pain, so much torture. He was seeing red, how was he related to the vile specimen that could've done that to her? He raked his hands through his hair viciously while his breath came out in hisses of anger. The air around him was crackling with his rage powered magic and it felt like he was going to spontaneously combust with all of the magic leaking into his veins.

He needed an outlet. He needed to let his frustration out on something. He grabbed his wand and stormed out of the study sending the door crashing as it bounced off the wall. Hermione, who was curled up in the miniature library across the hall with her nose in a book heard the loud bang and dread shot through her instantly. She grabbed her wand and sprang up running out into the foyer to see that the front door had been left wide open and Blinky was dutifully closing it.

"Blinky? What was that?" She asked quietly.

"Master Draco being angry, Mistress Hermione." Blinky said solemnly, when she peered out of the front door she could see Draco's retreating figure far down the path and decided to make after him. "Mistress mustn't go after Master Draco! Master Draco doesn't know what he be doing when he being angry. Master might hurt Mistress on accident." Blinky's eyes widened.

"No, he would never hurt me." She whispered in disbelief, still determined to go after him and find out what was wrong. She hadn't seen him this angry _ever._

"Mistress! Blinky can't let Mistress out of the house on Master Draco's orders. Blinky will make Mistress a cup of tea if it pleases her." The elf offered and Hermione's brow furrowed as she kept her eyes glued to the retreating figure of Draco. She knew better than to run out of the Manor on her own and so she allowed Blinky to lead her into one of the lesser parlours and served her some tea. Besides, Draco would be back later and she could ask him then.

OOO

He came back later in the evening after thoroughly taking his anger out with a rather laboured walk through the forest whilst unleashing his magic on some poor unsuspecting trees in the process. He felt utterly spent and exhausted when he finally returned to the Manor, he would've returned earlier but he felt as though he couldn't look Hermione in the face with the knowledge of what his own flesh and blood had done to her.

When he finally stumbled back into the house, Blinky was there to greet as Draco stripped off his dirtied outer robes from his little trek through the forest before asking how Hermione had been during the day. Blinky had told him that she had been worried when he'd left and he felt quite guilty as a result having scared her with his blinded rage but he could easily make amends in the morning. Right now, his magical core was drained after all of his venting and so he felt incredibly tired and so he crawled into bed almost immediately, still wearing his dirtied clothes where he fell into the dream again.

_He saw her again. She was running through the forest, barefoot with the same cream summer dress billowing around her, sticking to her legs as she ran with her platinum tresses flailing behind her. She turned behind her and smiled her carefree smile to the little platinum haired boy who was running with her. _

_As they progressed further and further through the forest, she had run further and further away from him as he desperately strained to catch up with her, but it was to no avail. He continued to run after when she was well out of sight as his childlike body steadily grew into the body he knew so well today. His strides became longer and his pace quickened as he continued in his pursuit of his Mother. _

_Then he saw at the end of the forest path, an opening where light was shining through with a blinding intensity where he could just see the remnants of his Mother's silhouette escaping. He pushed himself even further, running through the trees down the familiar path. The shrubbery seemed to enclose around him, scratching his legs as he ran, seemingly clawing him back from reaching her again but he pulled his way through and continued on until he reached the light. _

_He ran through it to reveal a clearing where all of the bright light had vanished. Something on the other side of the clearing caught his eye as a group of figures clad in black circled around something lying on the ground. When one of them shifted slightly, he could see the light radiating off her cream dress and her angelic hair but they closed around her again. That's when he heard her screams. _

_They sounded so real to him. He watched in horror as the figures dragged his Mother this way and that, repeatedly raising their arms to bring them down on her. He sprinted towards the group but the closer he got, the further away they became. He screamed out to signal their attention away from the woman but they continued to harm her. _

_When he finally reached her, the black figures disappeared in a shroud of black smoke and he fell through the remaining wisps and screamed in horror as the angel before him lay dead in a pool of blood._

When he awoke Hermione was the first thing he saw and she was visibly crying and clutching him to her chest. His throat felt hoarse but something else was entirely the matter, causing him to forget about his physical state for a moment. The dream he had just experienced was frighteningly vivid, her screams still rung in his ears, he still felt the moisture on his knees from where he'd knelt in her blood. That wasn't a dream. That was a vision. His face paled.

"Draco. Please talk to me. What's wrong?" Hermione whimpered. He threw the covers back and checked his knees to see if there were in fact the remnants of any blood which he could have sworn he felt trickling down the side of his leg. Thankfully there wasn't although this did little to comfort him at all as he feared desperately for his Mother. Things started to click into place as Draco's mind began whirring, Lucius had done those ghastly things to Hermione so what was stopping him from doing them to his own wife? It's not like he hadn't hit her before. But the thing that puzzled Draco was who the figures in black were and what they were doing with his Mother. Then another chilling thought crossed his mind, his visions only occurred before life or death situations.

"Draco, tell me what's going on. You're scaring me." She whispered.

"Vision, I had a vision." He announced. Hermione was confused but by the look on his face, she could tell this wasn't a good thing.

"What do you mean a vision?" She asked, frustrated.

"That was how Potter and I knew you were in trouble. I'm a seer, I have visions. I've only ever had two but both have been correct so far."

"What was this one about?" Hermione's voice broke as she began to shake.

"My Mother, she's in trouble. Damn it all!" He exploded punching his fist into the closest wall.

"Draco please, calm down. Are you sure it wasn't just a bad dream? I mean I have them all the time and-" She began.

"NO! I can tell the difference between dreams and visions, Hermione and this was no dream. It started out as a dream and I've had it for several nights but it never got to the end until tonight where it finally sunk into a vision."

"What happened in it?"

"She was running, I was running with her although I was only a boy. She ran ahead until I couldn't see her. I tried to catch up but I wouldn't come across her until I grew into me, as I am now and I saw her disappear into a clearing. When I arrived they were killing her. When I got to her she was dead." He choked.

"Who?" She asked.

"I don't know, they were all dressed in black!" He yelled in frustration.

"All in black…" Hermione trailed off remembering her attacker. "Do you recognise where you saw her?"

"Yes, it was a forest near the Manor where we used to play when I stayed there as a boy by the looks of things. Look, I need to find her, to make sure she's safe. I'm sorry, I know I'm supposed to stay here with you but I need to go."

"Of course, you need to go. I'll come with you."

"Over my dead body! I'm supposed to be protecting you, not putting you in possible danger. You're not coming with me and that's final."

"Draco, don't be like this. What if anything happened to you?"

"I don't care for Merlin's sake! I need to see if she's safe! You'll only be a liability so stay here where you're safe."

"A liability?!" She exploded.

"Look, I'm wound up, I don't know what I'm saying. I'm going out of my mind with panic here so could you just listen to me. Please! I'll speak with you when I'm back." He turned and grabbed his cloak wrapping it around his shoulders hastily before snatching his wand up from his desk. Hermione in the meantime stood still as he wandered around the room collecting his things before he drew his wand. This was her chance, she wasn't going to let him go out there alone in this state, he didn't know what he was saying and she thanked the Gods that she brought her own wand with her just in case, even if she couldn't use it properly yet she could still give it a try. Just as he apparated, she lunged forward and grabbed onto him so he pulled her along with her into the vortex of apparation.

Hermione fell into a pile of fallen leaves as she landed. She drew her wand quickly and hauled herself up off the ground and scanned her surroundings. Draco was nowhere to be seen. Dammit, she must've let go of him. She was in a forest of some sorts so she couldn't be too far from him. She brushed herself off and feeling more alive than she had in a long time, she set off in a walk through the trees to see if she could find Draco.

Draco cursed colourfully when he landed. Hermione had grabbed onto him at the last minute and then the stupid witch had let go before they had properly landed. He should've known she wasn't just going to sit there and stay put like he'd told her to because she always had to do the opposite to what everyone said to her. Merlin, he was going to hex her so badly when he got his hands on her again. He just hoped that she hadn't landed too far.

The forest where he'd played with his Mother as a child seemed much more daunting at night, nothing like the Eden it was during the summer daytime. During a cold autumn night such as this, it looked quite forbidding with its bare trees each reaching towards the dark clouded sky looking like claws ready to grab him. There were dying leaves littered about across the forest floor meaning it would be harder for him, or anyone else, to move about quietly so this he could hopefully play to his advantage. He was trying to work out where he was when he heard it. A deafening scream that echoed through the forest making Draco's blood run cold with the familiarity.

This was a scream he'd heard many times before, and before he could register anything else he had already set off, sprinting in the direction that the scream had come from. Up until this moment he had prayed that his vision had been nothing more than a fake but hearing her screams confirmed it all for him and he ran with everything he had in him to try and find the source of those screams whilst they were still fresh in the air.

Nearby, Hermione had also heard the shrill, feminine scream ripping through the eerie silence of the forest. This was when her stomach dropped and she actually started to believe what Draco had been telling her when he had woken up from his fitful nightmare. She had thought he was going crazy which was why she had followed him but now there seemed to be some truth behind his words. She began to run in the direction of the screams which sounded more and more desperate and pleading as Hermione ran in different directions. The screams seemed to be coming from all around her and she was becoming confused.

Draco pushed on further when he felt his legs straining and his lungs wheezing in protest to his strenuous activity but as soon as he caught sight of the path that had featured in his dreams for so long, he knew he couldn't give up now. She was so close. He daren't call out for her, in case whoever was hurting her decided to kill her before he could get there. The path seemed to stretch on forever, much longer than he remembered in his dreams but he still pushed on, his breath coming out in whooshes as he sprinted through the trees.

He rounded a bend on the path and just like in the dream there was the break in the trees that would lead him to the clearing. But unlike his dreams, there was no mysterious light emanating from the gap but the shrubbery seemed even denser as the path weaned off into a small dirt trail. He forced himself through the branches that clawed at his robes, much like they had in the vision although he cared little for them. His cloak quickly became too much and he shrugged it off as he ran, keeping a keen eye on the break in the trees which crept ever nearer with each painful step he took.

He was getting closer, he could see through the clearing and he could hear her screams, but this time they were accompanied by several grunts and chuckles which made Draco's blood boil. He burst into the edge of the clearing and just as the vision had foretold, the figures in black were all crowding around someone on the floor who was no doubt his Mother if the vision was to be believed.

Draco let out a feral growl and felt the familiar rage from earlier that day return with a vengeance. All sensible thoughts had escaped his mind and the only thing he was set for now was pain, and lots of it. He sent a stunner at the closest figure to him who fell down quickly with a cry. Each figure turned towards him, each of them shrouded by their black attire but Draco was more than ready to take them on, all eight of them. Just one look at his Mother's bloodied face on the floor and he let out a sadistic laugh before finally unleashing the true extent of his fury.

Hermione stopped for a moment when she realised she could no longer the screams of a woman but there was the whizzing and popping of magic somewhere close by. She looked all around her and she saw through the trees the flares of green lights dimming and brightening again followed by pained whimpers and anguished cries that were very much masculine.

She ran through the shrubbery tripping over several rather prominent roots sticking up from the forest floor on her way but she got up and carried on running until she reached a clearing and she was shocked at what she saw. Illuminated by the light she could see Draco's figure throwing curses this way and that inflicting pain with each flick of his wand, but these were no ordinary curses. Oh no, he was using one of the worst there was. He was torturing them, right before her eyes and she couldn't bear to watch him. The constant stream of spells provided a light show that illuminated the whole clearing with the raw power that went into his spells. For the ones he didn't stun or maim he would torture them with the Cruciatus until another one got too close. Their cries were all that she heard ringing in her ears as she watched Draco destroy them.

She bounded towards him. As she drew closer she could see that Draco was right about his Mother, she could make out a woman lying behind Draco, sprawled out across the floor with crimson staining her cream coloured dress. It was a sight all too familiar to Hermione. That was when a figure who Draco had turned his attention away from decided to grab her ankle and try to pull her down. She screamed loudly, attracting Draco's attention. His eyes narrowed and she felt the ground shaking with his power which managed to dislodge the man from her ankle. He pointed his wand at the man and fired his first killing curse, rendering him dead. A sense of power rushed through him, it was addicting, it was invigorating, and he wanted to do it again. What better practice than a bunch of sick fucks who were attacking his Mother.

"STOP! DRACO PLEASE, STOP!" She cried and pleaded with him as she ran ever closer to him. He was quickly flicking his wand this way and that, blinded by his rage and power, killing each of the men in the clearing until there was only one man left. One figure who was limping away in agony and Draco was descending on him like predator on prey. Hermione was close enough now to see that his eyes had dilated and there was no more of the molten silver colour left, it was animalistic. "NO!" She cried out to him, pleading for the old Draco to come back to her, the compassionate Draco, the caring Draco. His head snapped around to glare at her and she was fully intimidated by the intensity of his vicious glare. She tried to make her way towards him but he pushed her away with a mere flick of his wand as he cast the final killing curse upon the figure that had almost limped away.

The moment she placed a hand on his arm, his irises turned grey again and he switched back into his normal self, looking at her confusedly. Hermione clamped her hand over her mouth and stepped away from him, terrified at the sights that she had seen before her.


	24. Chapter 24

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_So, I really really really should wait until tomorrow to update again but I decided to be a super nice author. For all of you out there who are waiting for some Dramione action, well lets just say I've just finished writing Chapter 30 and by then shit has gone down. Now my lips are sealed. Muahaha. You'll have to keep hoping I have enough time to write a lot at the moment so I can keep updating at a steady pace. Just one more little thing, would you guys prefer it if I did the whole story in publication or split it into a sequel. I mean, I can't reveal the circumstances but there'll be a major plot change. I don't really mind...let me know your thoughts?_

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_**Chapter XXIV**_

His breathing was shallow and irregular and he calmed from the rage he had exacted upon eight certain cloaked figures who he had no doubt were Death Eaters. He had used far too much magic during his little episode and his head began to swim with dizziness as his vision began to blacken. When he had come back to his senses and become aware of his surroundings, he remembered his Mother.

He whizzed around on the spot and dashed to where his Mother was lying on the grass. She looked exactly as she did in the vision, cream floaty dress, platinum hair loose around her, covered in blood and bruises. Hermione was leant over her, holding her hair back from behind her ear as she hovered above Narcissa's mouth, straining to hear any breathing. It was a situation she knew all too well. When Draco approached, her eyes snapped up to meet his and she was unnerved at his sudden change in eye colour. Perhaps she imagined it? Now, however, they were very tired looking indeed.

"How is she?" He spoke suddenly, causing her to jump. In all honesty, she was a little scared of him right now after seeing the full extent of his rage. It was as though he were a different person from the man she had seen a few minutes ago. He had barely recognised her by the looks of things and then he'd harshly shoved her away when she was trying to stop him from destroying his own soul. She only prayed that his soul remained unbroken and very much in tact after the killing of eight others. She shivered at the thought and he noticed this.

She wasn't as scared as she should be however. Normally she would frown upon any mention of killing and say it was never acceptable nor justified however if she had managed to get into that bedroom whilst her parents were being murdered, she was sure she would have done the same. His power was extraordinary though, she had never seen magic of such intensity in her whole life and now she actually believed Sirius might have been speaking the truth all of those years ago about magical auras and whatnot.

"She needs medical attention, Draco. She's not dead, her breathing is just very quiet and her pulse is barely even there." Hermione spoke and without another word, Draco pulled his Mother up into his arms and Hermione grabbed onto him as they disapparated back to their Manor, leaving the evidence of Draco's wrath in their wake.

They arrived back in Draco's bedroom and he immediately rushed away from Hermione and placed his Mother's bloody form gently on his bed.

"Blinky!" Draco called and with a pop the elf appeared before them.

"AAH! Mistress Narcissa!" The elf whimpered and began to cry inconsolably.

"Blinky, calm down. Can you heal her?" Draco asked sternly.

"Blinky will most certainly try Master Draco." The elf sniffled confidently and within a few seconds he had retrieved a wide array of concoctions.

Draco began to inspect his Mother's body for any major injuries that only a wand could heal and he found many, much to his own heartbreak. There were broken ribs, several major stab wounds, a wealth of bruises and gashes, and a few hairline fractures. The fractures and bones he had managed to heal easily but her cuts and other wounds were simply too deep for him to heal. He had been in this situation before when Hermione had been stabbed and he didn't like the feeling of helplessness that accompanied it. He also noticed that her bruises all seemed to be a different age, causing him to grind his teeth in anger as he tried to calm himself.

Blinky hastily retrieved several vials of blood replenishing potion and removed the stopper from the lids. "Master Draco, Blinky needs blood for the potion, permission for Blinky to use his own?" The elf asked.

"No Blinky, hand it here. My blood is most like hers, it will do more good." He said quickly and with his wand he performed a quick yet severe slicing spell which severed through his wrist causing blood to bead on the surface of his skin before pouring out. He took the vials from Blinky and began to catch small amounts of his own blood in the vials, turning the potion a dark red before handing it back to Blinky who placed them each on the bedside table as Draco readied the next one.

When he had finished the last one, he cradled his Mother's head with his hands and gently tipped back her head and poured the potion down her throat at a slow pace in the hope that she would swallow it.

"Hermione, I need you to do those stitches on this wound." Draco demanded as he continued to pour the potion and Blinky began rubbing salve on her bruises.

"Draco, I have no medical experience!" She yelled.

"Look I don't care, you're probably the best qualified of each of us. Just do it!"

"Okay….right I'm going to need a sewing needle and some synthetic type of thread Blinky." She said quickly.

"Yes Mistress Hermione." He replied and within a few seconds he was back again, holding out a reel of blue nylon thread and a small, silver needle. She took them with shaky hands as Blinky went back to tending the smaller cuts and bruises.

"Draco, do you have any firewhiskey in here?" She asked hurriedly.

"Hermione, now's not the time for drinking."

"No you dolt! I need to sterilise the thread and I don't think a scourgify will suffice."

"Cupboard over there." He flicked his head in the direction of a cupboard on the opposite wall and she rushed to it quickly pulling out the first bottle of the amber liquid she saw and tipped it into a glass before stuffing a great amount of the thread in there hoping it would be enough.

"Blinky, keep pressure on this wound. I'll help Hermione." Draco ordered and the elf jumped up onto the bed and placed both of his palms down on the wound.

"I need you to heat the needle. It'll sterilise it." Draco nodded his head dumbly and took the needle before hovering it in mid-air and applying a warming charm that increased in temperature gradually until the needle began to glow. He kept the hot needle hovering.

"What now?" He asked.

"Now, we stitch." She breathed and picked up her wand, hoping her magic wouldn't fail her. She had a responsibility so she had to do this and nothing could go wrong. With a flick of her wand, she levitated the thread and threaded it through the needle, before tying it up at the end and approaching the bed.

She quickly pulled the dress out of the way baring the lower half of her torso, giving her access to the deep wounds which couldn't be healed magically. Draco's magic had made them a little shallower by healing some of the tissue further down meaning she'd only have to stitch the skin together and hope for the best.

She took the needle in her hand and pierced the one side of the wound with the needle, pulling it tight until the knot had reached the hole. Then she pierced a hole on the other side of the wound and threaded the needle through pinching the two pieces of skin on Narcissa's stomach together as she pulled the thread as tight as she could without breaking it. She repeated this over and over across the length of the wound as Draco and Blinky watched in fascination. When she had finished, she tied a tight double knot of the thread and cut the excess thread away before slumping to the floor with her hands coated in Narcissa's blood.

"That's all we can do now, Master Draco until Mistress Narcissa wakes up." Blinky sniffled as he began cleaning away all of their healing supplies as well as the blood from Narcissa's clothes and the bed sheets before disapparating with a pop.

Draco slumped against a wall, running his hands through his hair in desperation. He was so frustrated, and tired, and angry. The wealth of emotions made him want to break down and cry, but he couldn't let that happen. He hadn't cried in years. Instead he slumped to the floor by Hermione who was almost as pale as his Mother on the bed. As soon as he approached, she finally let the shock of tonight's events get to her and she broke out into a fit of tears before he pulled her close into him.

"Don't cry." He whispered to her before kissing her temple tenderly. She knew she shouldn't have allowed it but she was in too much of a state to protest right now. "You've probably saved her life, Hermione. I can't thank you enough."

She felt warmth spreading through her because her Draco was finally back. "We're even now I guess, you saved my life too many times to count, and I've hopefully saved hers, even though you and Blinky helped too."

"Okay, we're even then." He smiled weakly before sighing. "Look, about what happened in the clearing-"He started but she placed her hand on his mouth to silence him.

"You don't need to explain yourself to me, Draco. I shouldn't have gone with you in the first place and stayed here like you wanted me to."

"No. If you hadn't have been there then she probably would be dead by now. Besides, I scared you and that's unforgivable."

"It doesn't matter, Draco."

"It does matter. It matters to me, you probably think I'm a monster now after watching all of that."

She shook her head and smiled. "But that's the thing. Strangely enough I don't. At first I did but then I realised that if it were my own Mother lying there being beaten to death then I probably would have done the same thing."

"You're too noble to kill." He chuckled.

"Not if someone else's life is in danger. If killing the man who attacked me meant I could've saved my parents, I would have done it in a heartbeat without sparing him a second thought." She noticed his expression darken slightly.

"Right, shall we get you to bed, Healer Granger? I'm sure you're tired." He said a little too cheerily.

"Yes, I think today has worn me out a little. Physically and emotionally." She sighed as he stood up and helped her to her feet. "Well, goodnight Draco." She said awkwardly.

"Goodnight Hermione." He replied before she made her way out of the room, leaving him alone with his Mother. His fake smile instantly dropped and he felt his anger build again. He felt like such a dirt bag having to lie to her face about not knowing who her attacker was, when it was his own scoundrel of a Father who had probably been behind what happened to his Mother too.

He poured himself a glass of the firewhiskey that Hermione had left out on the desk and sat in the chair beneath the window as he watched his Mother's sleeping form. How dare his Father even think to do this to the only two women he cared about. Draco swirled his glass around absent-mindedly as he felt a sneer of disgust creeping across his face. He sincerely hoped that Potter managed to lock up his Father before he got to him, because if he found him, he would kill him in the slowest and most painful way imaginable and by Merlin, he was going to enjoy it. Much like he had enjoyed wiping the floor with the sick fucks that had done this in the first place.

OOO

In the morning when Hermione woke up she found she had slept a good few hours without having a nightmare at all. It was a peaceful, dreamless sleep and she hadn't realised until she had woken up, just how much she had missed it. It had lifted her spirits incredibly by having a good night's sleep and so she found today that she had no problems with her magic whatsoever. So she decided to check on Narcissa's stitches this morning, and see if any infection had started.

She walked across the hall and into Draco's bedroom, where all of the curtains were closed and the fire was out, giving the room a cold chill. She drew her wand and ignited the fire which came roaring to life before inspecting the room. Draco had fallen asleep in a rather uncomfortable looking position in the chair by the window with an almost empty glass of firewhiskey dangling in his limp wrist.

He was still dressed in his dirtied clothes from the day before and he had a hint of stubble gracing his defined chin. She rolled her eyes and smiled before directing an Aguamenti in his direction causing him to jolt awake in surprise, dropping his glass in the protest. His bloodshot eyes only hinted at his fatigue and she felt bad for waking him up, but it was late morning now.

"Hello sleepyhead." She smiled. "Get your lazy arse up, it's late. Make sure you get in that shower too."

"Yes _Mother._ I see your magic is back just fine." He observed with a yawn.

"Yes it is. I can't believe I finally have it back! Anyway, your Mother would thank me, because you look a fright."

She shook her head and smiled as he tumbled from the room and shut the adjoining bathroom door. Then she made her way over to where Narcissa was sleeping and took a gentle hold of her fragile wrist and pressed down, looking for a pulse. It was stronger, but slower than Hermione would expect it to be. She frowned and took a look at the stitches across her stomach. There were no red lines and no puss so there was no chance of infection. Hermione frowned and sat on the bed beside the woman and looked to her face and was shocked to see her eyelids fluttering open. Hermione gasped and stood up to call Draco.

"Mrs Malfoy? How're you feeling?" Hermione asked.

Narcissa frowned and looked about her. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"We're at your Manor house in Suffolk, Draco is here too. I'm Hermione Granger, I just need to check on your wounds."

"Draco? He's here? He's alive?" Narcissa whispered as tears began to form in her eyes.

"He is. In fact he's in the shower right now. He's been really worried about you."

"I'm supposed to be dead." Narcissa sighed wistfully.

"Well, you have Draco and Blinky to thank for that. He wouldn't stop until you were stable again you know, used his own blood for the blood replenishing potion and everything." Hermione remarked.

"Ah, my darling boy, he always was very protective over me." She muttered, clutching her hands together in her lap. In reality, Narcissa Malfoy was much saddened to find herself alive. She wasn't a crazy, suicidal woman, but she knew that her death was a necessary thing. She had a secret, something that could change the entire outcome of the war if it were ever discovered. If her husband ever found out, then there was no hope of ever being rid of the Master. She needed to keep it hidden from them and the only way of concealing it would be upon her own death. Then nobody would know what had become of it.

_"Cissy." Bellatrix spoke as she stepped into the lesser parlour at Malfoy Manor. _

_"Bella! Darling, what brings you here?" She asked, standing up to embrace her sister who didn't return the gesture, standing still as she always did. _

_"Sister, I need your help. You see, I have been given a mission of the utmost importance by our beloved Master however it is something I will be unable to accomplish alone. I don't trust that slippery fool you call a husband, nor do I trust anybody else in his service, so I have come to you, sister."_

_"Bella, you know I wish to have no part in anything to do with the Master." Narcissa snapped. _

_"Oh Cissy, you already are. Don't you see? You're married to his General for goodness sake, the disgrace you called a son was supposed to take his place. You can't claim you want nothing to do with him. Besides, we need not tell the Master." _

_"I wish you wouldn't speak about my son that way, Bella." Narcissa sniffled, remembering her dearest child. He had been sent by Lucius' Master to kill Dumbledore despite her own pleas to her husband to try and revoke the command. It might have been too late for Lucius to find the good in himself and put a stop to all of this nonsense, but it wasn't too late for her Draco. He had too much good in him to be capable of murder and she knew it. He wouldn't do it, despite the fact that he wanted to please his Father, because he was too much like her and she was glad for it. _

_Had Lucius spent more time with his child as opposed to pushing him away with his strict rules and cruel expectations, then Narcissa was unsure that Draco would be the boy that he was. She had tried her hardest to help her boy, she had gone to someone she never would've considered previously but she was desperate. Her cousin, Sirius Black turned out to be the one she went to, she had pleaded that he take her son, the light of her miserable life, and keep him safe before he could complete the task and he had promised her that he would do his best._

_Narcissa was heartbroken when Lucius stopped by to see her shortly before he left for Borgin and Burkes having received an owl from Draco, telling him he was going to let them in on that night. She had put her faith in the wrong person once more. Upon Lucius return, he had informed her that he had failed to complete his task, and as such he had failed his duty to the Master so he had paid the price for his insolence. He hadn't even had the decency to attend his son's execution. That was when Naricssa Malfoy, truly broke. It had been over a year now since her boy had died, and she had never healed._

_"Cissy, you must do this for me!" She pleaded._

_Narcissa's face hardened. "Why?" _

_"Because you're my sister, the only one I can trust." She had replied honestly. For a fleeting moment, Narcissa had seen a glimpse of Bellatrix, the real Bellatrix, her older sister Bellatrix, the Bellatrix that would brush her hair when she was a small child and always tell Narcissa how pretty she was, and how lucky she was to have beautiful hair like she did, the Bellatrix who would beat up the bullies who dared pick on her little sister and chase away the boys who would break her heart. At that moment, Narcissa couldn't say no, she could never say no to her sister Bellatrix._

_She had taken her to a cave of some sorts, dark, damp and cold. They had hidden in the shadows on a little island in the centre of the cavern, surrounded by murky looking water. It had scared Narcissa but also made her wonder what in the name of Merlin Lucius' Master could be sending Bella out here to do. _

_A light had illuminated the entrance to the cavern, and in wandered two figures, who had slowly made their way across the lake in a small boat. As they got closer, Narcissa realised who the two figures were that were sitting in the boat. It was Harry Potter and Sirius Black, the cousin that had failed her. They had approached the basin in the centre of the island when she heard it. _

_"Accio Horcrux." The realisation hit her like a hippogriff. No wonder her sister couldn't trust anybody to accompany her on such a mission besides herself, it was a Horcrux! A piece of the Master's soul! Oh what she could do if she got her hands on that! She could end the threat of the Master once and for all, retribution for condemning her only boy to death and corrupting her husband._

_Her cousin began to drink the potion in the basin, just as Bella had predicted which had weakened him. He had shouted several times for Harry to kill him which gave Narcissa a sick sense of pleasure, not at his pain, but at his retribution for failing to protect her son. The potion had been drained and the Horcrux, which took the form of a locket, had been retrieved. This was when Bella made her move. With a whispered spell, she had bound Harry Potter on the floor and when their cousin had gone to free him, Bella had leapt forward and plunged her dagger into his back._

_Narcissa had been shocked at Bella's stealth and abruptness but was quickly snapped out of it when Bella had snatched the locket from Sirius' grasp and thrown it to her. She caught it quickly and looked regrettably at her cousin's disappointed and pained face. She felt awful for leaving him as she was, leaving him in Bellatrix's hold but this was an opportunity she couldn't pass up on. _

_"Take it Cissy. Go! Inky!" Bellatrix had called, summoning one of the elves from the Manor who appeared next to her with a pop. The elf took her hand quickly and disapparated without another word. It was the last time she ever saw her cousin or her sister again. _

_With such a dark object in her possession, she knew not to turn it over to the Master like Bellatrix had intended and so she had run for her cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling the hood up to cover her trademark hair before slipping out of the Manor and into the night. She ended up at a familiar Tudor style cottage in the countryside outside of Hogsmeade. She knocked lightly on the large wooden door which swung open shortly after._

_Narcissa drew back her hood to reveal her face to the person standing on the other side of the door. _

_"Narcissa?" The shocked voice asked. _

_Narcissa said nothing and instead fished the locket out of her pocked and dropped it into the other person's hand. _

_"Guard it with your life." She ordered before turning away from the door, pulling her hood back up and hurrying back into the darkness of the night with her cloak billowing behind her._


	25. Chapter 25

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

* * *

**Chapter XXV**

"Might I check how your stitches are coming along, Mrs Malfoy?" Hermione asked, snapping Narcissa out of her daze.

"Stitches?" Narcissa's face paled. "What are stitches?"

"Mrs Malfoy-"

"Call me Narcissa, please. I hate being shackled to Lucius in such a way." Narcissa interrupted.

"Of course…Narcissa. As I was saying, when Draco and I found you, you had a very deep wound to your stomach. We couldn't fix it with magic and it was going to kill you if we didn't do something, so I used a Muggle method where you sew up the wound. It's rather grizzly really, but it saved your life." She explained.

"Very well, do as you must." Narcissa waved a hand and leant back into her pillows. "Miss Granger, might I ask you something?"

"Narcissa, I'd much prefer it if you called me Hermione. But yes, ask away." She smiled as she drew Narcissa's shirt up to reveal to wound.

"Pray tell, how did you and my son manage to find me?" She asked curiously.

"I'm not entirely sure to be honest, Draco will be able to explain it better than I." Narcissa smiled at the mention of her son's name, she was very anxious to see her boy again but it was all a shock to her. She had believed that he had been dead for many years now, to wake up back in her old Manor to find out that her boy was alive. It was going to make things a lot harder for Narcissa. She had been prepared to die, without her boy she had nothing more to live for because of Lucius and his precious Master. Lucius had come closer and closer to finding out her secret whilst he tracked down the last Horcrux and she was becoming more and more nervous. If they suspected her for even a moment, she was sure that they would have many ways of getting the answers out of her which she had needed.

She needed to do away with herself, however that would be suspicious to people around her, almost as if she had something to hide, which she did of course, but they needn't know that. What she needed to do, was to try and have Lucius do away with her of his own accord which she was more than happy to do. He had taken everything away from her so there was little more he really could take. He had already removed every reason for her existence, he had taken her lover, her free will and her son away from her, what more could she give?

It wasn't as though she could run away, if she could then she would have done so years ago. However the ring he hand given her upon their wedding day was carrying many ancient charms that would activate upon a bonded marriage. Her wedding ring could never come off, the Malfoys had made sure of that many years ago when the Malfoy men had difficulty with their adulterous wives who would tempt men into their beds. In addition, the ring was connected to Lucius' ring, he could tell where she was at any time if he wanted to, so he could find her wherever she went which was another reason why she needed to pass quickly. If Lucius decided to come looking, he would find Draco and Hermione, and she was sure that he would kill them.

She had tried to anger him in every way possible, she had talked fondly of her son to him, she had argued tirelessly with him, she had insulted him with everything she knew of, she had freed his house elf, she had moved all of the money he had set aside for the Master's war efforts and placed it in an account he couldn't access, one which she would be sure to put in Draco's name on the event of her death. However none of her attempts had managed to anger him enough to kill her, it was only enough incentive to beat her about.

It was what she had done the day previous that had driven him to do it. Lucius was a man of pride, and wouldn't tolerate being insulted in any way. Narcissa knew this after having to put up with it for many years and so she decided to take things a step further and hit his pride where she knew it would hurt the most. It wasn't particularly something she wanted to do, but she knew it would spark Lucius' rage. So she had waited until he had summoned a meeting in the Manor with all of those in high regard of the Master when she had decided to do it. She had taken a lover to Lucius' room, she had made sure that he knew of what was occurring upstairs in his bedroom with her excessively loud shrieking which she was sure all of his accomplices heard, thus humiliating him beyond anything she would ever dare try before.

That was all the incentive he needed to be rid of her and she was just glad it was finally over. It took a lot to crack him in the end, but she gained a sense of gratification at finally putting Lucius in his place after all those years that she had had to abide him. Well no more, she was Narcissa Black and she wasn't going to take Lucius' crap lying down, no sir. It was actually worth all of the pain she had endured at the hands of his accomplices just to see the look on his face when he had burst into the bedroom a while later, by which time her anonymous lover had gone however the evidence of his stay was very much visible. She chuckled darkly to herself before the bathroom door opened, snapping her out of her daze.

"Draco?" Narcissa whisperered, her lower lip trembling as she gazed upon her son. He really was alive. Suddenly she felt immense guilt for leaving her cousin to die at the hands of her wicked sister because he had come through with his promise. He had saved him, he had saved her boy and she would be forever in his debt. She put her hands in front of her mouth and shook her head before she started to cry. She shrugged back the bedsheets and made to get out of the bed.

"Mother, please don't move. I don't want you to injure yourself further." Draco said gently. However, she ignored him and slipped out of the bed before hobbling over to her son despite the blinding pain in her stomach. She almost fell into his arms and began sobbing loudly on his shoulder whilst he patted her back gently.

"I thought you were dead." She choked. "Your Father told me you had been killed and I-" She cut herself off with another heart-breaking sob.

"There there, Mother. Get back into bed and we can talk." He assured her.

"Oh my boy, you always were so caring of your poor Mother." She said affectionately and patted his cheek. "But I'm only injured Draco, not crippled. I wish to have a walk about, since it's been many years since I've come back here so wait for me at breakfast. Oh and send Blinky up to help me dress." She smiled. Hermione and Draco each left the room quickly and headed towards the breakfast room when Narcissa finally dropped her act. She almost fell back onto the bed and clutched her chest, breathing deeply for a moment. Something was definitely wrong with her, she was getting dizzy spells and her heart felt like it was pounding.

Just at that moment, Blinky entered the bedroom.

"Mistress Narcissa!" Blinky bowed low to his Mistress before looking at her again. She was panting heavily, trying to gulp air into her lungs which seemed to quell the symptoms for now although she felt incredibly weak. "Mistress called for Blinky."

"Yes, Blinky. I need you to check me over for any lingering curses, any trace of dark magic." She ordered, standing up again to try and support against the bedpost, only to feel a severe head rush. The elf wasted no time and took his Mistresses' hand before closing his eyes and concentrating. She waited patiently as the elf did his work, trying to stop herself from swaying. Blinky's eyes snapped open and he screeched.

"Bad magic Mistress Narcissa, lots and lots of bad magic!" The elf whimpered and began to cry.

"What will it do to me?" She asked.

"The bad magic be killing yous Mistress. It be shutting Mistresses' heart down."

Bingo. No wonder Lucius hadn't come looking for her yet, he knew exactly what he'd done the sly dog. It would be expected of him to make her die a slow and potentially painful death, probably to humiliate her with the loss of her dignity. But he didn't know she was unafraid of what awaited her beyond the grave, for nothing could have been worse than the hell it had been being married to him. But it would crush her son. That was the only reason she had for living, her boy, the boy who saved her from her dark existence. No, it was too late for that now, if she stayed alive then Lucius would find her wherever she went, and if she lingered here for too long, he would find Draco too.

"How long do I have?" She asked curiously.

"Blinky thinks Mistress has only days. But Blinky will help! Blinky be telling Master Draco and be helping!" Blinky assured her confidently. She reached out and patted her loyal elf on the head.

"I can't let you do that Blinky. I have to do things this way. So you mustn't speak of this to anyone, and that's an order." She said harshly. The elf began to whimper again, he didn't want to lose his favourite Mistress. He had served Mistress Narcissa since she was first married and he didn't want to see her in pain.

OOO

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked Draco who was oddly silent as he sat at the opposite end of the breakfast table.

"Peachy." He replied with a fake grin plastered on his face.

"I'm not as blind as you may think, Draco. There's something bothering you." She remarked.

"Would you just leave it!" He snapped, she didn't even recoil at his harshness but then again, she wouldn't. Just like she wouldn't leave him alone until she managed to weasel it out of him. In reality, everything for Draco was not fine, he felt guilt and anger brewing in his heart and had a horrible feeling that he might snap at any moment. The way his Mother had cried to him had put him out of his comfort zone, his Mother barely ever cried in front of him and so it was upsetting for him. He was the cause of his Mother's distress because he hadn't let on ever that he was alright. Of course at first, he had missed her terribly during the time when he was being accepted by the Order however they had prevented any form of contact to ensure his safety. When he was able to contact her though, he had forgotten about her much to his own disgust and she had worried herself to death, to the brink of insanity.

He was angry at whoever had left her in that state and he had no doubt it was his Father's doing. If he got his hands on him, he would be sure he paid for every time he ever neglected himself and his Mother, as well as the destruction of Hermione's life. As soon as Harry brought him in, he would be organizing a little trip to go and visit him before he was locked away for life. Revenge was going to be sweet.

"You can talk to me you know. God knows you have to listen to my woes all the time." She smiled kindly at him, although it did nothing to appease his terrible mood.

"There's nothing to talk about. I'm fine." He spat out through gritted teeth, stabbing at the scrambled egg in front of him.

"Okay, you're fine, whatever. Come and find me when you've decided to grow up." She huffed before storming out of the dining room.

"And where the bloody hell do you think you're going?" He bellowed after her.

"Outside. I need to practice my magic." She shouted back, not bothering to turn around as she went. He clenched his fists tightly so that his nails were digging into his palms as he tried to contain his rage.

"Cock sucking mother fucking shit!" He roared and thumped his fist down on the table. He didn't need Hermione getting her panties in a twist because he was angry, now she was just being impossible. Stupid stubborn Gryffindor, doesn't know what's good for her.

"I thought I raised you better than to use language like that." Came Narcissa's voice from the doorway. "I heard shouting from across the hall, is everything alright son?"

"Forgive me Mother. Do stop asking after my wellbeing, I just had all of that of bloody Granger." She snarled.

"Language!" She snapped. "Miss Granger is only concerned dear, as am I. Although I might ask what she's doing here, not that I mind or anything, it just seemed rather odd for the two of you to be alone at the Manor. Are you involved with-" She started but Draco cut her off quickly.

"No, Mother. We are not involved beyond friendship I assure you." _Even though I'd like to be._ "As for why she's here, it's a rather complicated issue. You see, someone's got it in for her and so the Order have assigned me to protect her."

"Oh my word, the poor girl. You say the Order assigned you, so you are involved with them?" She asked as she slowly paced herself, walking across the dining room to take the seat that Hermione had vacated, ignoring the blackening of her vision or the exhaustion.

"Yes. They found me before Father could get to me at Hogwarts, they took me in and although it took a while, they accepted me. I've been fighting for them ever since." He declared.

"I always knew you'd make the right choices, unlike your foolish Father." Her lip curled in disgust at the thought of her husband.

"Speaking of daddy dearest, what did you do to anger him. I know he did this to you."

Narcissa felt uneasy under her son's gaze, was it really that obvious to him? She straightened herself and tried to keep a calm composure.

"Of course not dear, you have it all wrong. I didn't see the men who did this to me, it was too dark outside to see them but I assure you it wasn't your Father's doing. I suspect it was a group of his accomplices who are obviously jealous of your Father." She replied. "What happened to them? And how did you find me? I don't quite recall." She raised an eyebrow at her son.

"As for how I found you, just be glad that I did otherwise you'd surely be dead by now Mother. And with regards to the sick bastards-"

"Language!" She scolded again.

"-who did this to you, I gave them what they deserved." He said darkly and thought back to the previous night. It was rather an odd experience, killing for the first time. Some people say that it truly destroyed a person however that wasn't the case for him. When he cast the curse, it gave him a sense of power and satisfaction, he gained a rush and it were as though it were a drug and he couldn't stop doing it. He fed of their pleading and pained cries in his fit of rage which he came to question severely all the way through last night. He didn't quite know what had come over him, something odd had happened indeed but it were as though he had had a personality switch, he had just snapped and taken his rage out on anything around him. It was something he didn't plan on doing again, it was wrong, it was monstrous but at the same time it was exciting.

OOO

Over the next few days, Narcissa's health was rapidly deteriorating but she did well to conceal it. She was experiencing a wealth of different symptoms now and they weren't doing her any good. The curse that one of Lucius' henchmen had put on her was taking its toll now and it would only be a matter of time before the inevitable happened. If what Blinky had said was true, then her heart was shutting down, gradually slowing her pulse which would explain her symptoms. Her death would most likely be peaceful, hopefully her heart would just stop so she could end this charade once and for all, move on and reunite with her childhood sweetheart who she would join in death.

She felt guilty for leaving her son, but he was better off without her now. He had Miss Granger. She had seen the mild attraction between the two even though she tried her best to conceal it, but Narcissa was very perceptive, that's where her son got it.

She felt incredibly weak on this day, to the extent where she couldn't stand very well and by tomorrow she would surely be incapacitated. So she was going to enjoy a late afternoon walk in the garden if it killed her. She admired each of the flower beds, full of her flowers, the _Narcissus_ as she slowly and painfully strolled through the gardens until she came across Miss Granger, sitting beside the pond with her knees pulled up to her chest and her fingers delicately skating the surface of the water.

Narcissa sat herself beside the girl next to the pond, hoping to finally have a conversation with the girl without Draco coming over to interrupt.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She remarked, staring out across the expanse of the pond, with the lily pads hovering above the water, slowly drifting in the direction of the wind.

"It's exquisite, I've never seen a garden quite like it. Blinky really outdoes himself sometimes." She said light-heartedly.

"Yes, but he is an adorable little thing." She began to laugh but it caused great pain in her chest and she found herself quickly out of breath again. "I used to sit out here with Draco all the time when he was a boy, such a timid little thing he was too."

"Draco? Timid? I find that quite hard to believe." She chuckled in response.

"Oh yes, he was quite the little lamb. Never did he stray far from me at all, he loved me as much as a child could ever love his Mother and he was the most open-hearted little boy I'd ever known." She spoke lovingly.

"What happened to him?" Hermione's brow furrowed.

"When he was a little older, shortly before Hogwarts his Father finally took an interest in him. Beforehand Lucius was a stranger to him, we would stay at the other Manor for special occasions and all but otherwise all Draco would hear from his Father was a small birthday greeting each year. Then Lucius destroyed my Draco, he beat the sensitivity and kindness out of him before drilling his head with all of these ideals and expectations that turned him into a cold-hearted little boy. During his years at Hogwarts he wasn't my boy anymore, didn't have time for his silly old Mother. No, he wanted to be just like his Father, he craved his appreciation but never would he get it from him and all the love and affection from me counted for nothing. Quite sad really." Narcissa remarked before dabbing at the corner of her eyes.

"But you see Miss Granger," She continued. "When he's around you, I see less and less of the cold-hearted boy Lucius wanted him to be and more and more of my little boy again. I don't know how you do it, but thank you." She whispered.

"You have nothing to thank me for, really. I'm not doing anything." Hermione said, puzzled.

"Oh Miss Granger, you're doing more than you know." Narcissa smiled. "My, it's getting rather cold Miss Granger, would you escort me inside?" Narcissa asked and Hermione obliged. As soon as Narcissa stood up, something felt awfully wrong.

OOO

Inside, Draco was lazing about inside, searching through the small library that they had on the bottom floor of the house. It was nowhere as big as the one at Malfoy Manor, and yet it was still comfortable, equipped and humble. No wonder Hermione liked it in here so. He sat in front of the small fireplace on a plump armchair with a mug of the hot chocolate that Hermione had insisted they buy in his hand. Then, racing through the window came a silver stag, one which undoubtedly belonged to Harry Potter.

"_Malfoy, if you're there I have news. I haven't found anything on Lucius to suspect him for the murder of the Grangers, but I do believe there is in fact something more sinister going on here. I have heard multiple references to the Master in this house and there are many Death Eaters, information this crucial could – wait….wait…..STUPEFY!"_

Oh bloody fucking brilliant, Potter had gotten himself into trouble again and at the hands of his Father no doubt. Draco sprung up from his chair and was about to run for Hermione, when he heard her calling for him instead.

"DRACO!" She screamed from upstairs. Forgetting all about Harry, he dashed out of the study and bounded up the stairs, taking them three at a time before bursting into the room where Hermione's cries were coming from with his wand drawn. He wrenched open the door, expecting to find his Father if he was truly honest, but he saw Blinky hovering his Mother onto the bed and she didn't look well at all.

His heart dropped into his stomach. "What happened!?" He bellowed, running to his Mother's bedside and taking her hand in his own.

"We – We were outside talking and – she ju-just collapsed on the way inside. I'm sorry Draco – I had no idea what to do!" She whimpered helplessly, her hands were shaking in shock. He stroked his Mother's hand reassuringly as her ashen face turned towards him and looked at him with heavy lidded eyes. She was taking incredibly deep and slow breaths and Draco didn't possibly know what was wrong with her. She had been perfectly fine over the past few days, no side effects from her injuries or anything. Blinky sprang to Narcissa's side and held her other hand in his own, closing his eyes again to concentrate.

"Bad magic too strong now Master Draco." Blinky shook his head solemnly.

"What do you mean 'bad magic'? Mother?" He turned to his Mother to see her nodding at Blinky weakly.

"Mistress Narcissa has a bad magic curse Master Draco, it be making Mistresses' heart slow down and stop." He began to bawl. "Blinky is sorry Master Draco, Mistress Narcissa wished Blinky not to be telling yous!"

"Why Mother?" He asked exasperatedly. "We could've saved you. We can _still_ save you." He said hurriedly. She shook her head slightly.

"No Draco. It's time….for me….to go….." She panted heavily.

"Don't you say that Mother, you're not leaving me. You're staying here okay? I need you." He pleaded. She raised a shaky hand up to cup her son's cheek and gave him the biggest smile she could muster which happened to be a mere twitching of her lips.

"You'll….be fine….I love you….my boy…."

"No. No. No. No. NO! Don't leave me Mother, I'll never forgive you if you do - don't close your eyes, don't you dare close your eyes!" He bellowed yet despite his pleading, Narcissa brought her son's hand to her mouth and kissed his open palm before her eye lids dropped. The dark magic running through her blood finally constricted around her heart making it spasm slightly before stopping forever.

* * *

_Hey guys, I know Narcissa's death is a little quick but she's served her purpose now and I simply couldn't think of any fillers. Besides, you want to get onto the juicy bits quicker don't you?_


	26. Chapter 26

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, just in case y'all get a little confused. If there's a dash ' - ' between paragraphs, it means a change in place. If there's a ' OOO' between paragraphs, it means a change in time ;3_

* * *

_**Chapter XXVI**_

When Draco felt his Mother's hand fall limp in his own, it seemed to him as though the world were over. He kissed her hand and gritted his teeth to stop the tears of anger and despair surfacing before he placed her hand gently by her side. Hermione let out a whimper when she realised and clasped her hands in front of her mouth. She hadn't known Narcissa Malfoy very well, but all that played across her mind now were Draco's stories of his Mother, particularly the time he spoke of her in the nursery. She then thought of how Narcissa told her of the young Draco only mere minutes before.

Glancing at her small body on the bed, Hermione could only imagine the hardships that the poor woman had endured during her marriage to Lucius. Narcissa must have been such a strong woman to be able to give up the man that she loved for her son, to be able to stand up to her husband when he hurt her only boy, to be able to live with the knowledge that her only son was dead because of her husband's actions and then to choose death in order to protect her son and her secret.

"I received a Patronus from Potter. He's been caught at the Manor." Draco said suddenly and Hermione was puzzled to see that not a single emotion had passed across his face. By looking into his eyes, she could see no sadness but the embers of a rage, threatening to ignite.

"Well we need to go, we need to save him." She said firmly, dashing away the remnants of the tears beneath her eyes.

Draco's expression darkened. "No way, you are not going near that Manor. You're staying here."

"Draco, he's my best friend. I'm not staying here. We had a similar discussion to this a few days ago and it turned out to be a good thing that I went so I'm coming. You can't do or say anything that's going to stop me."

"I'm supposed to be protecting you, you'd make my life a whole lot easier if you didn't jump at the first chance of danger you come across. If you have a death wish, you need only ask." He growled in response.

"Well if I can't go, you can't go either since you're supposed to be protecting me. Who knows? While you're gone my doting stalker might drop in and finish what he started."

He scoffed. "That won't happen. _Believe _me."

"You don't know that."

"Trust me, I do."

"Oh yeah? Enlighten me." She taunted.

He hesitated for a moment. This was his only opportunity to finally show his Father the meaning of retribution. Who knows when he'd have one next? It was a toss-up between finally catching his Father and saving Potter or watching out for Hermione's safety. But as much as he cared for Hermione, this was an opportunity he couldn't pass up. "You know, the more time you stand here arguing with me the less time I've got until Boy Wonder bites the dust. So, I'll be on my way. Don't wait up."

"That's fine, I can apparate to the forest then. You said it was close to the Manor right? Seeing as we're both going there, you might as well just take me with you." She sniffed indifferently.

"Yes, by close I mean a few miles, Granger. I'd be in and out before you even found your way out of there. Just, for once, please. Stay put. It'd give me some peace of mind, Merlin knows I need it." He groaned before shooting one last look at his Mother allowing the spark of rage to ignite his power, leaving him feeling invigorated as he promptly disapparated away from the room.

Hermione growled in fury, how dare he just leave her here like she would be a hindrance. She could be very useful out there to him and he might not even know it. Though saying that, he was rather powerful, but if he used it all too quickly, he would be a sitting duck. She hated this feeling of helplessness. She had no idea what state of mind he was in after just witnessing the death of Narcissa and if her were off to confront his Father about it? She shuddered at what he might do to him. Not that she particularly cared for Lucius Malfoy, more so for Draco's sanity.

She had no idea what on Earth she could possibly do to get to him now. For one thing, she wasn't going to sit here like a waste of space. No, she'd had enough of that for a lifetime, now was the time to take action. Her best friend's life was endangered and also the man she cared about. She tugged on a strand of her hair and thought hard, trying to make some use of the brain she had been gifted with. She sighed when nothing came to her, and looked over to Narcissa wishing she were here to help her.

When he reappeared, he was standing so he was just inside the wrought iron gates that closed _the_ Malfoy Manor off from the rest of the world. He looked up at it in all its glory, and it truly was a sight to behold. At least he and his family thought so. He blanched slightly before he remembered, the only family he had left was one Lucius Malfoy who Draco was firmly intending to kill very, very soon. When he put it like that, he felt hollow and cold. He would be completely without any real family, save for perhaps his cousin Nymphadora and her estranged Mother whom he had never met.

With a quick flick of his wrist, his wand fell from its resting place in his sleeve and he caught it as it made to fall. He wanted to feel the surge of power once more and began to focus more and more on what his Father had done to his Mother and Hermione. The more he focused on it, the angrier he got until he could feel the magic pouring into his veins and rushing about his body. His eyes darkened with the power overload so they reverted back to the terror invoking black they had been a few nights previous and as before, it were as though he became possessed by his anger, all reasoning flew from his head and his morals were temporarily forgotten. He was ready.

Not caring who saw him, he marched up the stone path, enclosed by the two daunting hedges whose shadows cut off all light on the stone of the floor. His lip twitched as he tried to contain a sneer whilst he glanced up at what was once his home. Well, it would have been home if it weren't for all of the terrible things that had happened there. His eyes scanned each of the windows, and some sadistic part of him deeply wished that his Father would be watching him march up the pathway so he would know that he had come looking for nothing but blood. Although no such thing happened, and Draco was very disappointed when there were no sentries outside the grand double doors much like there were during his Sixth Year.

Before he entered he tried to think where his Father might possibly be cowering in the Manor. It would be somewhere well-guarded, Draco knew that much for sure. His Father always was disappointing and very much spineless as the Muggles say, all bark and no bite. Perhaps he would be hiding in his own chambers, whimpering in the corner like a child. Or then again, he did have Potter after all. He might have been trying to assert his power over a poor unsuspecting Potter. Draco almost chuckled at the thought but he was too riled up to become side-tracked by immature thoughts.

He contemplated upon how to make the perfect entrance, the entrance that would have his Father piss-his-pants scared. No, he wanted him more than scared, he wanted him quaking in his expensive dragonhide boots. The only way he would do that would be to pick off his Father's little minions one by one. But first, he would unfortunately have to save Potter, not that he didn't want to. But his dear friend might be more adamant on arresting daddy dearest rather than letting Draco wipe the floor with the pathetic being. Trust Harry Potter to ruin his day.

Shrugging his shoulders and clenching his wand tightly in his fist, he burst through the doors and into the foyer where yet again he was disappointed when only one rather plumper and weaker looking rookie was snoozing on the job. It looked to Draco like his work was cut out for him, which he really thought was pitiable since he'd expected much more of a fight than this, so instead of killing the pathetic waste of space before him, he bound him with invisible ropes with a quick whip of his wand which would wear off in about half an hour. By then, hopefully he'd have more of a challenge.

He decided it really would be best if he found Potter first and so based on an educated guess, he started for the cellars. When he walked through one of the lesser parlours on his short-cut to the cellars he almost laughed in triumph when a mob of the familiar cloaked figures descended upon him. _Now, this is where things got truly exciting. _He thought as he began firing his curses.

Hermione sat with her cup of tea on the floor of Draco's nursery as she gazed up at the portrait of the family on the walls. If that's what you could call them. They were unlike any family Hermione had ever heard of with their corrupt and abusive patriarch, a matriarch who had been forced into marriage against her will and a child who had been very much damaged. She stared at the sad and yet healthy face of Narcissa again and couldn't help but think how beautiful she was back in the day, and not overrun by exhaustion, scars and bruises.

Seconds seemed like minutes. Minutes seemed like hours. Time itself was at a complete standstill for Hermione as she worried more and more for Draco's well-being. It wasn't as though he couldn't take care of himself, Merlin knows he was powerful enough but that was against eight wizards. Now, he was straying into the Lion's den, Death Eater central if gossip was to be believed. She ran her fingers nervously around the rim of the mug and deciding she could no longer bear to look upon the portrait any more, she made back to where Blinky was tending to Narcissa.

The elf was sniffling into his robe as he wove smaller flowers from the cherry trees outside into Narcissa's loose platinum locks which matched the cream of the gown that she wore. Blinky had mended and washed it so that the blood and dirt stains had gone and each of the tears had been sewn. Her skin was deathly pale, almost matching the colour of the flowers threaded into her hair. Her lips and cheeks were void of any colour, leaving her looking as though she were made of porcelain, much like the china dolls that Hermione's grandmother used to collect. The only part of her that stood out was her hair which looked rather like a halo, giving Narcissa the fallen angel look. But despite being dead, she still looked breathtakingly beautiful.

"What're we to do with her now, Blinky?" Hermione asked quietly as the elf finished Narcissa's preparations off by sliding her golden wedding ring on, with the intricately carved pattern extending around the band and in the middle an emerald with two smaller diamonds on either side.

"Mistress Narcissa be laid to rest with all other Malfoys, Mistress Hermione." Blinky said tonelessly.

"Where might that be?" She asked curiously.

"The Malfoy Crypt at the Malfoy Manor, Mistress Hermione." Hermione's heart leapt, this was her chance to get into the Manor.

"Would it be a bother if I accompanied you, Blinky?" Hermione asked.

"Of course not Mistress Hermione." The elf smiled glumly as he took hold of Hermione's hand and Narcissa's cold one before disapparating with a pop. Blinky managed to lift Narcissa into his arms until Hermione used her wand to levitate her as the two walked through the crypt. Hermione looked at all of the different statues that lined the walls used to depict different Malfoy ancestors each of whom were strikingly beautiful in their own way, but it could only be expected since they were Wizarding royalty after all.

The narrow halls soon opened out into a wide chamber with low ceilings which were all held up by pale brick arches. These were held up by rather thick looking pillars which were adorned with great stone snakes coiling around them with their tongues forking out at whoever looked at them. In the centre was a grand golden table which had the Malfoy crest emblazoned upon its surface as well as the motto running around the edges. Hermione levitated Narcissa until she was comfortably lying on the table, before casting her signature bluebell flames which hovered in the air like little will-o-wisps around her body.

"How long will she lie here for?" Hermione asked, with her eyes transfixed on how the blue flames flickered across Narcissa's skin.

"Until the funeral service, Mistress Hermione, it is Malfoy tradition." The elf confirmed. "We should be going now Mistress."

"I can't Blinky. Draco and Harry are inside so I have to go and help them. You understand, don't you?"

"Master Draco didn't set Blinky orders so Mistress is free to do as she pleases." The elf said regrettably.

"Thank you, Blinky." Hermione sighed and clutching her wand tightly, she made her way out of the crypt.

Draco couldn't help suppress an evil smile as he effortlessly battled each of the nameless guards who dared meet his path on the way to the cellar. He found that once he was enraged, casting the killing curse wasn't a big deal anymore and gave him some sort of perverse thrill each time the next figure dropped dead. The feeling of utmost power and control as he ended a life didn't sicken him as much as he thought it would, in fact he could get quite used to the feeling.

Although as he had previously thought, there were many of his Father's minions guarding the house in almost every room and so using killing curse after killing curse was quickly draining his magical core to the extent where he began to feel physical strain when his magic left his body through his wand. So unfortunately, that meant he had to put a stop to his killing spree and so still in a blinded rage, he continued to fire the nastiest spells he could think of in the direction of each cloaked figure.

When he finally reached the stairs leading down to the cellar there was only one little minion left to wipe out and so he quickly stunned him so that he fell to the floor, tumbling down to the bottom of the stairs, landing with a sickening thud. Draco was panting with a blood lust he hadn't felt before and he was about to do the man in, until he heard a familiar voice from the top of the stairs.

"Draco?" Came Hermione's voice which instantly snapped him out of his blinded rage. His eyes turned back into their usual grey at the sound of her voice and he calmed significantly. With his rage no longer powering him, he felt the strain of his magic take a toll quickly and he became very weak and exhausted.

"What the fuck are you doing here." He whispered harshly as she crept down the stairs towards him and pushed open the gate that led into the cellar.

"You didn't think I'd really stay at the Manor now did you?" She raised an eyebrow and then turned back to see the figure of Harry sprawled out on the stone floor of the cellar as Draco had previously predicted. They both ran over to him and knelt beside him, he had been stupefied by the looks of things.

"Rennervate." Draco whispered and with a wave of his hand over Harry's body, Harry jumped back to life with his eyes fixating on the two of them for a moment. "How you doing mate?" Draco asked and Harry nodded weakly before standing up.

"Well I say we get out of here quickly before Lucius finds us." Hermione suggested and Draco and Harry nodded in response.

"I can't apparate, I'm too weak at the moment. We're going to have to get outside the wards." Draco panted, his magical core being too drained for it to be deemed safe for apparation. "We'll go out through the parlours, I've cleared a path through there so it shouldn't be too hard. Let's move." He and Hermione started to walk towards the stairs. They didn't notice that Harry in the background began to bubble as he morphed back into his real self, Lucius Malfoy who quickly stunned them while their backs were turned.

OOO

When they awoke, they were both trapped inside the dungeons in Malfoy Manor, both wandless and separated by bars. Draco was still feeling incredibly drained and his magical core wasn't stable with the amount of magic he had used. Using much more now for him could be fatal unless he rested for a good few hours, something which he didn't think would be probable. A chilling laugh came from the shadows.

"Oh dear me, you thought it would be that easy did you?" Mocked the voice and Hermione's blood ran cold at the recognition. She whimpered and shuffled closer to the wall that separated her from Draco to see him still lying on the floor, barely conscious. This was the voice that had haunted her nightmares ever since its owner had attacked her. _Twice._

Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the shadows basking in his own glory and triumph. "For the brightest witch of her age, you really underestimate me don't you? Well fear not, you may have slipped through my fingers twice before but I shall not be making the same mistake again." He growled at her.

"Leave her alone you sick fuck." Came Draco's voice from the next cell causing Lucius to direct his attention towards him.

"And you, my son. You were supposed to be dead." Lucius' lip twitched in anger.

"So sorry to disappoint you, _Father._" Draco mocked.

"You always were an insolent boy. Too much of your Mother in you, that's what did it. Well, fear not my son, you will meet the same sticky end as she soon enough. As much as I'd love to stay and gloat, I have yours and Mr Potter's executions to plan and my, are you in for a treat, we managed to sway a multitude of Dementors to our cause." He let out an evil laugh and promptly left the dungeons.

Draco listened to Hermione's shallow breathing in the next cell and when hauled himself up off the floor, he could see tears glistening on her cheeks.

"Don't be afraid." He reassured her, weaving his hand though the bars to firmly clasp onto hers.

"I don't want to die, Draco. I'm scared, fear of the unknown you could say. I've told myself over and over that I would face death when it came to it, but now it's finally here, I'm terrified." She whispered.

"I'm scared too." He admitted meekly and squeezed her hand slightly.

"Draco?"

"Yes?"

"Before we die, which I have no doubt will be soon by the calculating look on Lucius' face. I have to tell you something. Something important." She whispered and leant her head on the bars.

"Go on." He said curiously.

"Remember when I told you that I didn't care about you the way you thought I did? I lied." She admitted. "I care about you. I care about you a lot, more than I ever dared hope." Her words echoed into the empty silence of the dungeons.

He propped himself up and disentangled his hand form hers and brought it up to cup her face and bring it closer to his so that he could just about touch his lips to hers through the bars of the walls. She poured every ounce of passion she possessed into the kiss believing that it would be her last, it was a kiss that tasted of sweat, tears and desperation and for her it couldn't have ended too soon.

"Why did you have to tell me this now of all times?" He asked wistfully, wishing she had told him earlier so that they could have enjoyed their time together before it was cruelly snatched from them.

"I didn't want to die with anything left unsaid. You don't have to reciprocate. I just wanted to make my feelings known to you."

He let out a laugh of despair. "Well that's it, there's no way I'm accepting that we're going to die right now. Because we're not, we're going to make it out of here alive and we're going to make it out of here together. Because believe it or not, as silly as it sounds I care for you a lot too, and I think I have for longer than I care to admit."

"Well how do we get out of here then? We need to find Harry too." She reminded him.

"Let's think about this. I'm not as strong as I could be at the moment and we're both wandless so busting out of here would be a bad move. Who knows how many of them are up there now? We need to send a message to Lupin somehow."

"I have an idea, but you're not going to like it." She said in a matter-of-factly tone.

"Pray tell." He urged.

"I know you know a spell, a spell that draws magical energy from its victim and well, you could use it to get enough energy to send a Patronus to Lupin." She suggested.

"And who would I-"He stopped himself in his tracks when he realised what she was saying. "Oh no, if you think I'm going to use you, you're crazy. I won't do it."

"Draco, you have to do this. You're the only one powerful enough to conjure a wandless Patronus. Don't you see? It's this or we both die. My magical energy can be replenished with rest, our lives can't. Please, just trust me." She pleaded.

He knew she was right deep down and so he sighed loudly. "I'm only taking as much as I need. Make sure you grab onto my hand and squeeze if you feel too drained. Remember, wandless Patronuses take a lot out of you." He reminded her.

She nodded. "I trust you." His hand slipped into her own as he used the better half of the little magical energy left to cast his _Potentia Exhauriebat_ on her and watched as the golden light streamed from her fingers into his. He studied her face carefully as he continued to drain her magic waiting to see any signs of her struggling. In reality, she was weakening quickly, it felt like her magic was being ripped from her cells and it felt as though her life source was dimming. When he finally released her from the spell's hold she exhaled deeply and began panting to try and catch her breath. Her hands were shaking because of her weakness.

"Cast it." She prompted and he gave her a troubled look. "Don't worry about me, just cast it."

He released her hand and stood up in the cell before thinking of Hermione telling her she cared for him and thinking of his Mother telling him of how proud of him she was until he felt like he wanted to smile. This was the prime moment and so he raised his arms out in front of him and cast it.

"Expecto Patronum." He spoke and was relieved to see out of his fingertips grew a silver dragon which carried the message he had thought as he had cast it and flew off, flapping its wings before disappearing though the wall.

He had used most of the energy that Hermione had given to him and so he tiredly slumped down onto the floor next to the bars and picked up her hand again as they both lay out of breath.

"Sleep now, Hermione. You'll need your energy." He whispered to her and she didn't waste a second more and closed her eyes and fell asleep with her hand still firmly intertwined with his own. He closed his own eyes and allowed himself a few precious moments of sleep, he would need all the magic he could get if he were going to be ready for the fight he was sure was coming.


	27. Chapter 27

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, I know I haven't updated much lately. I've just been so busy! I give you this chapter as a peace offering ;3_

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**_Chapter XXVII_**

"Draco? Wake up." She whispered hurriedly and shook his hand which was still gripping hers as he slept. He mumbled slightly and opened one eye to look at her through the bars, she looked refreshed after her sleep which was much like he felt. His magical core had been replenished although it wasn't full but hopefully it would be enough to get him by. "When I woke up, I thought of something. Aren't there specific wards around the Manor that would stop the Order from getting in?"

"Shit. I forgot all about that, they've probably been trying to crack them for ages. Hang on, I can take care of this." He replied and immediately closed his eyes and began trying to sense the different wards around the Manor. Since he was a Malfoy, he had access to them because of his blood, it was one of the only times in his life where he was thankful that he was a Malfoy. There were the older ones that had always been in place but his Father had enforced some newer ones that Draco was quite unsure of. Nevertheless, he began to temporarily disable them one by one, starting off with the older wards which wouldn't catch his Father's attention as quickly. Or at least he hoped.

His focus dissipated when he heard the echo of footsteps that increased in volume with each additional step the person took, then he realised that they were coming towards him. He heard Hermione's breathing quicken in the next cell and she tightly grasped his hand through the bars once more, squeezing it in fear.

"Draco? Mate, is that you?" Came a horrified voice from the darkness.

"Blaise?" Draco replied in a confused tone. He let go of Hermione's hand and stood up in his cell although the dense darkness that surrounded them didn't reveal the owner of the voice.

"Lumos." The voice spoke, illuminating the darkness to reveal to Draco that it was indeed his long-time friend from Hogwarts. "How are you alive? Your Father told us you'd died in the Astronomy Tower for failing to kill Dumbledore." The dark skinned man spoke painfully.

"You don't understand, Blaise. I couldn't do it. I was set up by my Father for failure and I would've died if they hadn't saved me."

"All these years, I thought you were dead. Pansy thought you were dead and she was crushed Draco."

"Ah yes, how is Parkinson? It's been a while." Draco asked. He had taken a shine to Pansy back in Hogwarts. Of course she was an annoying bint back in the day when she had been obsessed with him, but after she had come to terms with the fact that they weren't going to be together, she had become a pretty good friend.

"We're married now." Blaise declared.

Draco smirked. "How on Earth did that happen? Last time I spoke with you, you still seemed to be hung up on the Weaslette."

"She was so broken when she thought you were gone. I was the only one there to pick up the pieces and let's just say things progressed from there."

"I'm happy for you, mate. I really am. But I need a favour." Draco pleaded.

"Draco, you're my best mate, always have been. But I can't do that for you. They'll kill Pansy and the baby if I cross them again." Blaise whispered knowing what Draco was leading up to.

"The Order can help you. They can help you like they helped me." Draco protested. "Please, I can't let Granger die, she's been through enough because of them already."

"I'm sorry, Draco. I really wish things didn't have to be this way but my family's life is at stake, and it's something I'm not willing to lose." Blaise shook his head solemnly. His situation, unfortunately was one to which Draco could relate. Blaise walked past Draco and unlocked the door to Hermione's cell before tugging her up by her arm.

"Where are we going?" She asked fearfully. Blaise didn't say anything and walked her out of her cell with his hand firmly gripping her elbow as he prodded her along, passing Draco's cell.

"Blaise!" Draco shouted after them, but it was no use. He began banging on the bars of his cell so that they rattled as he watched the light from Blaise's wand go out of sight. He hadn't felt more helpless than this since he had brought his Mother back to their Manor and he was starting to panic again. But there was little he could do being trapped inside a cell and so he quickly tried to focus again in order to dismantle as many of the wards that he could as they slowly drained his magic. Of course he could use his remaining magic to blast out of his cell but if he were caught up in a conflict then the odds would surely be stacked against him since he would be weak. However, if he used his energy dismantling the wards, then the Order could get in and help them giving them a better chance. Although he desperately wanted to go after Hermione, he knew it wouldn't be the wisest thing to be doing. He just hoped the Order got in before it was too late.

Hermione stayed unusually silent as Blaise led her into the snake pit, no doubt. She could sense his hesitation and guilt as he had spoken to Draco, but at the first mention of his family she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Even if it was Parkinson. She went quietly because she feared that if she didn't then Blaise would have to suffer for it and with the life of a child involved, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

He marched her out of the dungeons and back through the Manor where each of the portraits on the wall sneered at her and made vulgar comments about her unworthy blood, until he brought her to a halt outside a large wooden door.

"Granger? I know this may mean very little to you but for what it's worth, I'm sorry I had to do this." Blaise muttered shamefully.

"It's alright Blaise. You're only doing what you need to do to save your family and I respect you for that." Hermione smiled as warmly as she could muster despite the cold feeling of dread settling in the pit of her stomach as to what might possibly happen behind these doors.

"Just, try not to anger him. He's very volatile when it comes to you, if you argue with him he will only kill you more painfully."

"Thank you for the word of warning although if I'm going to die, I might as well go down with a fight. Just- just take care of Pansy…and the baby." Hermione quavered, ever since she had discovered her inability to produce children, she had taken a soft spot for them. Blaise gave her a short nod of thanks in return and grasped her by the elbow again before pushing through the door with Hermione in tow.

She gulped when she was shoved to the floor harshly in front of Lucius Malfoy and _many_ of his cronies. His lip twitched into a sadistic grin as she glared up at him from her position on her knees.

"Ah, Miss Granger. So good of you to be stopping by, although before we progress I do believe a congratulations is in order." He spoke with the familiar drawl that made her shiver every time with the hint of concealed malevolence laced in his tone. She looked at him confusedly before he let out a bark of laughter. "Ah gentlemen, I do believe the new Senior Undersecretary isn't already aware of her new position."

"A piece of filth like her doesn't deserve such a position." Spat one of the cloaked figures besides Lucius who was perched regally in his chair, eyeing her with a fire burning behind his eyes.

"Right you are Avery, although I thought it a nice gesture before she dies." Lucius replied.

Hermione tried hard to conceal her elation. They had won! All those months of hard work campaigning, all those seemingly endless nights of working late at the Ministry had finally paid off and Theo was the new Minister with herself as the new Undersecretary. Except her time in office would be rather short lived if Lucius was to say anything about it.

"Isn't it rather demeaning to know that I, Hermione Granger, Mudblood extraordinaire, am so much more important than your sorry Pureblood arses now? You tried to campaign and you failed miserably, it just goes to show how terribly misguided you all are." She muttered defiantly.

"That's enough from you Mudblood." He barked and she stared daggers at him through her lashes. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I offend you, Milady? My manners are most shocking indeed, draw your wands gentlemen, it seems we have yet to offer our Lady a proper congratulations." His eyes glinted with a malicious desire as he fired the first curse.

It took her by surprise and now she truly understood why people went insane after being tortured with the Cruciatus curse. It burned through her nerves as all of her muscles contracted painfully as she fell back to the polished wooden floor, trying desperately not to scream out with the pain tearing through her. Instead she ground her teeth and dug her nails into her palms to try and ride it out, but each time Lucius would inflict another bout of pain upon her, the agony increased tenfold. He did this repeatedly until she could take no more and screamed as loud as she could while big fat tears leaked down her cheeks. Lucius cronies began to chuckle amongst themselves as she screamed until her throat was hoarse and continuously twitched in pain, even when he wasn't cursing her.

"Master! Master!" Came a pathetic little cry and Hermione could see through her tear filled eyes that Lucius' face flashed with annoyance as he relieved her from the curse.

"What is it Wormtail?" Lucius hissed causing the pathetic little balding man to recoil in fear.

"The prisoner has woken up, Master." He spoke quietly.

"Ah, as fun as it has been Miss Granger it seems the time is upon us. Bring him to me, oh and someone go to the dungeons, there's someone else I'd like to be rid of." Lucius spoke harshly before turning back to her. "Imperio."

Hermione's mind which was previously clouded with thought went completely blank. There was nothing now except Lucius' wishes.

"Come here, kitten." Lucius spoke calmly and held out his hand. She automatically walked towards him and slipped her hand into his as he pulled her onto his lap, sitting stone still awaiting his next command. One part of her was screaming out, telling her to snap out of it and quickly but that part was small enough to be ignored by Lucius' hold on her. She didn't even turn her head at the sound of scuffling and protests through the room.

First to be dragged in was Harry, who was unkempt with the amount of time he had spent in captivity. His clothes were soiled and torn in places, his glasses were cracked and he was bleeding in most places. Lucius had known that Harry Potter was in his house for a long time, however he didn't jump at the chance to capture him, since Lucius knew he would be uncooperative. Lucius wanted to know what he was up to, but then he had come dangerously close to discovering some of Lucius' deepest secrets and so he had to intervene.

Before deciding to alert his Master as to Harry Potter's captivity, he decided to have his own fun with the elusive Boy-Who-Would-Not-Die. Although much to his disappointment, any magical means of torture were significantly dampened on him, which was very confusing to Lucius. Anybody else he practised his Cruciatus on would scream and writhe in agony, just as would be expected. But not Harry Potter, he merely twitched in pain. Something was protecting him, and Lucius didn't know what. However, much to his relief, physical means of pain weren't affected so he had the man beaten for good measure hence his bloody appearance.

The men dragging him in dropped him to the floor in front of Lucius, and Harry's weak legs ensured that he stayed to the ground. He had little energy to even move, even if he did each movement he made would be accompanied by sharp stings and aches reminding him of his torture. He summoned the strength to lift his head up where he saw Hermione sitting on Lucius' lap as he twirled a lock of her hair around his long, slender fingers.

"Hermione!" Harry croaked before coughing explosively. "What are you doing here? How did you-where's Draco?" Lucius began laughing as Hermione stayed silent upon his command. Inside her head a battle was raging as she tried to free herself from Lucius' hold over her. Her skin crawled at his close proximity, his voice rung out plunging her back into her worst nightmares and yet he had complete control over her.

"Our Lady Undersecretary here came to save you Mr Potter, and by doing so she has played right into my hands. So I believe thanks are in order." Lucius grinned cruelly at Harry.

"Let her go!" Harry shouted causing the room to fall silent.

"Oh, do you hear that? The boy wishes me to let her go. Well by all means Miss Granger can leave, but you don't want to, do you?" Lucius turned to Hermione and placed a hand on her thigh causing her inner self to want to vomit however her traitorous body shook its head. She focused quickly on trying to erect her Occlumency barriers that she had dismantled in Australia which she hoped would be strong enough to push Lucius out. Her magic hadn't been strong enough for her to put them back up after her ordeal, but she needed them now.

Harry stared at her in shock and took her in. Her eyes were slightly dilated although her body sat stone still and her face was void of emotion. It was as though she were a machine or a robot. Then it clicked.

"You bastard, you've got her under the Imperius Curse!" Harry bellowed. A nod of Lucius' head signalled to one of the guards who immediately kicked Harry in the chest hard, sending all air whooshing out of his lungs leaving him winded. He coughed and tried to catch his breath as Lucius chuckled to himself.

"Enough of the chatter. It seems our new friends from Azkaban have been starved for quite some time. I'm sure you have enough happy memories to go around, wouldn't you agree Mr Potter?" The guards who had dragged him in picked up his arms again and dragged him back out of the room and out of the Manor, followed by Lucius, Hermione and only a few others who were cloaked in black. She tried to gather as much magical energy as she could to create her barriers however Draco had taken a considerable amount beforehand and it hadn't regenerated as much as she hoped. If she used too much she could become seriously ill and at worst, she could die.

Lucius took her by the elbow and marched her behind Harry through the neglected and overgrown gardens of Malfoy Manor. The grass was too tall and she had to lift her feet a little extra in order to be able to trample it down. Many of the flower beds were empty of the exotic flowers they once grew and were replaced by innumerable amounts of weeds which dominated the soil making the garden look dead. As she was walking and Lucius' focus was elsewhere she managed to lay the foundations of her barriers securely, now all she had to do was get them powerful enough to release herself from his control.

She gazed up at the sky to see many Dementors swirling around them, like vultures waiting to descend on their prey and she knew that she needed to break free and quickly. They stopped at a small clearing in the garden, riddled with weeds and overgrown grass. Some blades of grass were tinted red which could only allude to what had happened here previously.

In the middle of the small clearing Draco was tied to a stake in the ground guarded by Blaise who was fidgeting nervously as Lucius and his troupe came into sight. He quickly stepped forward and took Harry and tied him to the other side of the same post, before backing away quickly waiting for Lucius' command to the dementors. At the sight of Draco, her heart surged and she took this moment to channel all of her power into inflating her barriers which easily sprung up with the boost snapping the link that Lucius had installed.

She felt liberated. Taking a deep breath she allowed herself to reintroduce her brain to her body before sneaking a peek at Lucius. By the looks of him, he wasn't aware that she was no longer under his control as his hand was still wrapped firmly around her upper arm.

Draco was busy trying to dismantle the complex anti-apparation ward around the Manor, it was the last significant ward he needed to take down to ensure that the Order could get in and they could all get out. The longer he spent on it, the more energy it was draining which wasn't a good thing with the impending battle that would surely break out if he managed to get the Order in. How would he protect Hermione if he himself was too weak?

"Why are you here?" Harry whispered harshly, turning his head to the floor to try and conceal his communication.

"We were here to rescue you." Draco whispered back.

"Yes well, good job." Harry muttered sardonically.

"Look, I've got one ward left to take and the Order are outside. I just need to get a message to them somehow."

"The galleon. I can't reach it, you need to get into my back pocket."

Draco groaned inwardly, trust Potter to keep his galleon in the pocket next to his arse. Draco twisted his bound hands around the stake and tried to position them close to the ground next to Harry's pocket.

"Right, you're going to have to lift yourself a bit." He commanded and both shot looks in Lucius' direction to see he was busy talking with the few people he had brought outside. Draco steeled himself and shoved his hand into Harry's backside pocket and began trying to feel for the galleon whilst trying to avoid contact with his friend's behind. It was wedged deep in his pocket and so Draco could only grip it between his first two fingers, pulling it out carefully whilst trying to avoid any notice. When it reached the end of the pocket, gravity took hold and the galleon tumbled out of Draco's grip and onto the grass, out of their reach. He cursed loudly.

"Where is my Master? I want to be rid of these two liabilities as soon as possible." Lucius asked furiously to Blaise whilst Hermione watched the exchange between Harry and Draco, before noticing the galleon roll to the grass. Harry knocked his head back against the post before tilting it to look at Hermione who stared at Harry and inconspicuously pointed at the galleon before nodding her head to him. She was going to create a distraction.

She jerked away from Lucius' touch and on impulse she drew back her hand and slapped him across the face. The sharp sound of the impact rung through the silence as everyone turned to look at her. Harry seized his chance and swung his feet around, trying to capture the galleon underneath his foot so that he could drag it within reach of his hands. He stretched out his fingers until he was sure they were cramping as they brushed against the edge of the galleon and he tried to use his fingernails to budge it closer.

Lucius sighed aloud and rolled up his sleeves. "Well Miss Granger, things would have progressed smoothly had you been more…_obedient._ However, I'm through with playing games with you now." He said calmly and within a moment he had stunned her so she fell to the floor where he ordered Blaise to tie her up to the post so that the Dementors could have her.

She was placed in between Harry and Draco, facing away from the crowd of Death Eaters behind her and taking in every detail of the setting sun since she believed it might possibly be the last time that she ever saw it. She stretched her bound hand and gently stroked Draco's hand with her own as some form of reassurance, trying to tell him what words couldn't express.

The familiar cold crept upon the three of them. The blades of grass at the other end of the clearing began to freeze and stiffen, their skins began to polka dot with goosebumps and their breaths were coming out in small clouds in front of their faces. The Dementors descended upon them swirling around the clearing each taking their chance and draining each of them of their happiness as they swept past them.

Harry finally picked up the galleon and rubbed it frantically, trying to get a message to the Order. If they waited too long, there was a possibility that all that they would find would be three soulless and pitiful beings. Their happiness and magical energy was being drained at an alarming rate as the Dementors weaved around each other, trying to get to one of the three who had been laid out for them.

They weren't coming. Hermione's vision was beginning to blacken in the corners as she was robbed from her power and happiness to the extent where she was slowly losing the will to live. It was only thoughts of Draco that really managed to keep her going for as long as she was. The clenching in her heart became more powerful with each kiss she received and she could feel her soul starting to dislodge itself, being sucked out as if by a vacuum.

She warily eyed one Dementor who dove towards her and she had a gut feeling that this one would be her undoing. She couldn't go on any more, it was over. The Dementor hovered before her, pulled back its tattered grey hood and opened its mouth in preparation to suck out her soul. She clamped her eyes shut and braced herself, giving Draco's hand one last touch before surrendering herself to the inevitable.

When the familiar feeling of being drained didn't come immediately, Hermione opened an eye to see the Dementors scrambling to get away as various silver animals bounded towards them. A werewolf, a terrier and a horse were amongst the recognisable and Hermione's weak heart was flooded with relief.


	28. Chapter 28

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, I'm really bad at writing action scenes so I'M SORRY! But I can't skip this shizzle, it's too important! But on the plus side, just last night I got my 100th follower! Thank you **writinmomma** - cool pen name by the way ;3_

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**_Chapter XXVIII_**

The distinctive 'pops' of apparation sounded around her as numerous members of the Order came into view causing the death eaters to retaliate. Lupin appeared directly in front of them and freed each of their bound hands whilst trying to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. As soon as they were all free, he grabbed Draco by his shirt and pulled him close.

"You look after her or by Godric boy, there'll be hell to pay." He growled harshly before pushing him away and drawing his wand flicking spells at the nearest Death Eater. Draco immediately jumped in front of Hermione's weak figure on the floor before outstretching his arms to the nearest Death Eater and draining him of every last drop of energy he possessed, ultimately killing him quickly and painfully. Without her wand and left in the state that she was, Hermione was incredibly vulnerable but luckily for her Draco was as skilful in wandless magic as he was with his wand.

Harry, much like Hermione was still weak and laying on the floor gasping for breath. His magical core was dangerously low and any magic now could cost him his life, which wasn't good in the middle of a warzone. Ginny ran to his side and cast a_ Protego_ around him before kneeling down and placing her hands on either side of his face. She kissed his dirty head hastily before scrambling to her feet with her wand in hand, prepared to kick some Death Eater ass.

The clearing was illuminated with different coloured flashes of rebounding spells from either side; green clashed with red, light clashed with dark. The Order, led by Lupin and Theo the new Minister for Magic, battled valiantly against the Death Eaters who thoughtlessly threw themselves in front of Lucius who had eyes only for Hermione who was lying on the ground. Now because of the Order, Malfoy Manor was no longer considered a safe house and they would have to abandon it promptly, that is if they made it out alive. His Master would not be pleased in the least, however if he managed to snag the Mudblood without the interference of his son then perhaps his Master might go easier on him.

He began strategically manoeuvring himself through the throng of Death Eaters which came flooding from the Manor at the sound of a commotion, taking a sick pleasure every time he saw a member of the Order fall. He effortlessly blocked and parried jinxes that were fired his way before silencing each imbecile that came across him with a quick Avada.

Across the field, Nymphadora was busy battling Macnair which was quite easy considering he was incredibly dense in comparison to herself. He fired a sloppy Avada in her direction and she acrobatically dived to the side in order to dodge it. She actually quite enjoyed toying with the Death Eaters, battling them to let them think they had some form of power before really showing her moves. She grinned when Macnair only got more enraged at his own half-arsed attempts to kill her, then she spied Lucius –her uncle by marriage – striding across the clearing with determination in his eyes.

Her eyes quickly shifted to the target of his intentions to see a weak Hermione and Harry laying towards the hedge where they were protected by Draco who was standing only a few metres away firing curses at anyone who dare come near him. Avery was the next to engage in a duel with him, their magic clashing together and Draco was doing considerably well since he didn't have his wand. Although with Avery being unlike the rest of the Death Eaters and actually being of some duelling capability, Draco couldn't take him down with the ease that he had with the others. Because he was preoccupied by Avery, Nymphadora noticed that Draco hadn't been alerted to Lucius who was edging ever closer to them.

She turned her attention back to Macnair and stunned him so that his body went rigid and fell flat to the ground. She clutched her wand in her hand and scrambled up off the floor, running in the quickest path she could towards Lucius on the other side of the clearing. She was only halfway across the clearing when she realised that she wouldn't make it in time to she held out her wand and cast a simple _Expelliarmus_. Lucius, however wasn't caught off guard and turned just in time and blocked her spell with a _Protego_, before they both fired another curse at each other causing their magic to clash.

Lupin was busy towards the centre of the field, he stood with his back against Theo, Justin and Arthur as a circle of Death Eaters closed in on them. They each began firing hexes back and forth, blocking and parrying with ease, taking on two or so each. Lupin quickly killed off the two Death Eaters before him, he saw no use in stunning them when they could simply be revived and put straight back into the fight. As the last cloaked figure fell, he saw on the further side of the field that his beloved wife was currently battling Lucius Malfoy, and she was losing.

Lupin let out a growl and began sprinting as fast as he could towards his wife. The green of Lucius' dominating spell was overriding her red one, slowly inching further towards her like a lit fuse. It happened all too quickly, he was too far away to save her as Lucius' spell hit the tip of her wand sending her hurtling to the ground. Lupin screamed and fell to his knees beside his wife, the Mother of his child, as Lucius grinned evilly. The scream drew Draco's attention away from Avery who was now in pursuit of Ginny and he saw the lifeless body of his cousin, her purple hair contrasting the green of the grass around where she lay.

He looked quickly to his Father who was smirking as he lowered his wand. This was all the incentive that Draco needed and so he began purposefully striding towards Lucius who fired a stunner at him. Draco allowed his anger to consume him once more, this vile man was killing off his only family. First his Mother, and now Tonks. This was angrier than he had ever allowed himself to be before, he felt power flowing through him as he held up his hands to halt his Father's spell in its tracks and send it rushing back towards its caster.

Lucius was momentarily stunned as he watched his son's transformation before his own eyes. Draco's eyes darkened until there were no traces of the familiar silver left and they were pure black. Then unlike anything that had happened before, the black of his irises sparked to crimson and his usually pale skin glowed with it. He spiralled into the depths of his magic's rage and exulted in it, he writhed in its glory and cried out in its power. There were red sparks crackling around his fingers and without even thinking he began to summon them together to create a ball of pure magic which he intended on destroying his Father with.

His Father's eyes widened and he began to back away from his son's fury and wrath fearing that it was over now. His scared expression quickly turned into a grin when he saw over Draco's shoulder that Avery had hauled Hermione up over his shoulder and nodded to Lucius. Draco was about to release his magic when he heard the feminine squeal from behind him, he turned quickly on his heel and sent his magic hurtling towards Avery who was struck dead as soon as the magic had touched him. He collapsed to the ground with Hermione stuck underneath him however Draco turned back to his Father and cursed inwardly, he couldn't summon the energy for magic of that magnitude again. His Father took out his wand and began to disapparate, but not before Draco shot a quick Locating Charm to him. He wasn't finished with his Father yet, far from it.

He rushed back over to where Hermione was trapped beneath Avery's body and threw it off her, not caring much for the man. He pulled her up into his arms quickly and she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as he calmed from his rage. His eyes and skin slowly lost their glow as his anger waned and but his power kept on falling. He had summoned a lot of strength on his magical core and he was very vulnerable at this point.

The battle wasn't as intense as previously was since there had been losses on both sides, mostly on the Death Eaters however there were still many which needed finishing off but Draco, Hermione and an unconscious Harry were all safe at their current place. He was panting and gasping, trying to stabilise his magic which kept fluctuating rapidly. He was confused, not remembering what had happened over the past few moments.

There was a soft thud on the grass, he looked towards it to see three familiar wands. One of Holly, one of Vine and another of Hawthorn. He gazed up to see Blaise with his Death Eater mask slightly lifted above his head to reveal his face as he nodded towards Draco who returned it weakly. He scooped up the wands, before turning his attention back to his beloved.

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" He panted.

She shook her head softly, wanting nothing more than to take his hands in her own. She refrained, remembering who was around them. "You were glowing." She remarked. "It was unlike anything I've ever seen. It was beautiful." He stared at her confused, unknowing of the change in his physical state in his rage. "I didn't tell you did I? We won the election! We did it!" She beamed happily.

"So I should start calling you Milady now, right?"

She slapped his shoulder weakly. "Only for formal purposes but it makes me sound old. What's wrong with Lupin?" She asked.

"Tonks…she didn't make it."

"What?" Hermione gasped before tears began to leak from her eyes. "Who? How?"

"My unfortunate Father, but don't worry. I'm going to end him, and I'm going to do it now." He growled before laying her gently on the floor and slipping her wand into her hand.

He was going to end this threat to her life once and for all. He kissed her head softly before standing up and directing his wand to the nearest Death Eater, and drained him of his magic to restore his own. He marched towards the first person he recognised which happened to be Justin, he grabbed him forcefully by the shoulder.

"Listen to me, protect the Lady Undersecretary and don't let anything hurt her or by Merlin, I will kill you." Draco growled possessively whilst pointing towards Hermione. Justin nodded and moved over to where Hermione was lying. The battle was in the Order's favour and would shortly be drawing to a close so Draco decided he would take his leave now. He revived Harry's unconscious form and handed him back his wand.

"How weak are you?" Draco asked quickly.

"I'm able and ready." Harry affirmed, lucky he had a fast regeneration rate unlike others such as Hermione.

"Good. We're going after Lucius, he managed to do a runner again but I'm not letting him go this time. Are you in?" Draco offered his hand to Harry and Harry took it, accepting his offer as Draco hauled him up off the ground.

"Merlin, it's a bloodbath." Harry exclaimed as he surveyed the battlefield that contained the bodies of mostly Death Eaters.

"Well, we were quite fortunate this time, only a few losses."

"We can mourn the dead later, right now I want to know where your slimy Father is."

"I assume he will be with the Master, which is why I'm quite adamant to go now. I placed a Locating Charm on him before he disapparated but it will only work once."

"That's fine, side-along?" Harry suggested. Draco nodded and held out his arm which Harry took.

"One thing Potter, I kill Lucius." Draco growled. Without waiting for Harry's reply, he closed his eyes and with the use of the Locating Charm he disapparated to wherever his Father might be.

Oddly enough, they ended up in some place dark and dank. They were in an alleyway of some sorts, standing on a mossy cobblestone floor which matched the walls around them. It smelt damp and quite like the smell of the countryside after it rained. There were crates around them, the wood of most of them was being rotted away which was probably contributing to the horrid smell of the place. They were definitely outside, since they could both feel the light spit of rain from above, cooling their skin.

"Any ideas where we are?" Harry whispered.

"I have a hunch, although it's one of the last places I'd expect him to come after a battle." Draco remarked.

"I think that might've been the idea." Harry chuckled.

"Don't get smart with me Potter, we've got a job to do." Draco snapped before slowly making his way towards the end of the alleyway, ensuring to stay concealed within the shadows as he went. Harry followed slowly, shuffling against the wall with his wand drawn and clutched tightly in his hand. The place seemed oddly familiar to him, yet he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He was filled with a sense of vulnerability that he was sure he remembered and yet the whole experience was uncanny. When they reached the end of the alleyway, Draco let out a loud breath.

"I know exactly where we are." He announced. "We're in Knockturn Alley."

"Knockturn Alley? Why is Lucius here?" Harry asked, befuddled.

"I don't know. It's quite unusual for even him although I'm hoping he's here with his Master. I'd like to end the threat of this war right now."

"So would I. But Knockturn Alley is huge, where will we find him?"

"Well, the Locating Charm should have dropped us nearby so we can't be far." Draco's brow furrowed. "Let's just have a look around, stay quiet for Merlin's sake."

"I've had more than enough experience sneaking around to know to be quiet you dolt." Harry hissed.

"Fair enough."

They both began silently creeping through the large network of alleyways and small courtyards, praying fervently that they didn't come across any bizarre looking locals who would rat them out. As they were just approaching an arch in the side of the alleyway, Draco reached behind him and threw Harry against the wall and put his finger to his lips to signal for him to be quiet. When Harry listened into the distance, he could hear the faint vibrations of a deep voice which was in conversation with a raspy sounding voice.

"Could it be-?" Harry began.

"I don't know. Just shh." Draco whispered harshly. Harry rolled his eyes and pushed Draco's hand away that was keeping him firmly against the wall before crossing the alleyway to stand on the other side, adjacent to the archway where the voices seemed to be originating. He slowly shuffled against the wall, getting closer and closer to the brick archway to see if he could distinguish any of the voices or at least hear some of the conversation.

Meanwhile back at the clearing in the gardens of Malfoy Manor, the battle was won and the Order had triumphed although they had suffered losses. Tonks, Percy and Mad-Eye Moody were the most significant casualties to the Order however they were to mourn later. When Lupin had seen Hermione with only Justin to guard her and no sign of Harry or Draco, he had become furious and demanded that Hermione tell him where they had gone.

She told him that she didn't know, although she had heard that they had gone in pursuit of Lucius and had apparated not too long ago. Lupin became frantic and rushed to the spot which Hermione pointed out, as he searched for any wisps of apparation magic that Draco might've left behind. If he could catch one, he could find their location and help them. He drew out his wand and started waving it frantically through the air, becoming more and more desperate until he finally found a small wisp.

He rounded immediately followed the wisp and identified that he was in Knockturn Alley. He quickly disapparated back onto the battlefield and rounded up a team of the people left over from the fight who weren't too magically drained. He wasn't going to accompany them, since he needed time to grieve over his wife. The shock was having an impact on his ability to defend himself and he didn't want to be a liability. In the end, he told the Theo, Justin, Ron and Arthur to go to Knockturn Alley and find Draco and Harry.

Draco and Harry were pressed up against the walls on either side of the archway, straining to hear little snippets of the conversation which was occurring behind the walls. Draco had already identified the smooth drawl as his Father's voice however instead of springing an attack, he decided to take a more Slytherin tactic first and listen to their conspiracies.

"…and the army, are they ready?" The raspy voice asked.

"Yes, my Master. We deployed our dispensable forces to distract the Order, the weakest fighters if you will. However Master, our campaign has failed and I have some more disturbing news…" Came Lucius' unmistakeable drawl.

"Well don't dawdle, spit it out!" Hissed the voice.

"My son, Master, it appears as though he is very much alive."

"Yes. He is." Came a voice which belonged to neither Lucius nor his conspirator. But to Draco, as he stepped out of the shadows and into the small abandoned courtyard, followed shortly by Harry.

"Go, Lucius. You know what to do." The voice hissed and Lucius quickly disapparated, leaving a cloaked figure standing in the middle of the clearing. The figure reached up and drew back his hood to reveal a snake like head accompanied with red eyes and a face without a nose. Harry grunted in pain as his scar began to burn and realisation clicked.

"It's you! You're the Master!" Draco exclaimed looking from Harry back to the man. He drew his wand quickly however before he could even think of an incantation, a simple click from the Master's fingers and Draco's wand went flying. He sent a spell flying in Draco's direction which sent him hurtling through the air until he crashed into the wall on the other side of the courtyard.

Harry drew his wand in defence and a streaming jet of red light shot in the Master's direction. It was easily side-stepped.

"Forgotten your manners again, Harry Potter? Surely you remember, must bow to your opponent first. Although I don't blame you, manners must be lacking when you were born to a filthy Muggle."

"Draw your wand, Tom. We're going to end this." Harry growled and the two immediately sprung to action, hurtling spells this way and that each missing the other until the magic between the two wands connected, illuminating the courtyard in red and green. With Harry distracted, the Master raised his free hand and cast an _Incarcerous_, leaving Harry bound in invisible ropes as he fell to the floor.

"Is that it? Is that marvellous fight that Harry Potter put up against me? How disappointing." The Master sneered as he slowly walked over to Harry's bound body on the floor. "It was all too easy to take you down and now you will die. For weak magical blood doesn't belong in this society." The Master drew back his wand and pointed it at Harry, with the killing curse tingling on the end of his tongue when from the corner of his eye, a flash of red shot towards him and so he retaliated with his own magic.

The connection between the Master's magic and Draco's magic was a strong one. Neither could overpower the other no matter how hard they each tried. They were of equal capability, but both refused to accept that and kept pushing with all their might to try and increase the power of their spells.

"Not bad, for a Malfoy." Voldemort teased. "Go on, kill me boy." He secured his free hand around his wand and tried to push his spell towards Draco but it wouldn't budge, Draco's resistance was too strong.

"Don't worry, I will and I'll parade your dead body through Diagon Alley, _Muggle style._" Draco almost laughed at the expression on the Master's face at his comment however he couldn't summon the strength.

"How is your Mother, boy?" He taunted and Draco's eyes flashed red as a reminder of his previous rage at the thought of what his Father had done to his Mother. The Master didn't fail to notice this. "I can feel your anger, boy. Release your fury, it will only make you more powerful." He grinned maliciously. Draco shook his head wildly and tried to suppress his anger, he wasn't going to be a monster again. He tried so hard to suppress it, he felt his strength from his spell begin to weaken and then to his horror, the Master's spell began to progress towards him. Luckily, it wasn't a killing curse but all the same it would render him weak.

He braced himself for the inevitable as the Master's spell hit the tip of his wand, sending him hurtling backwards and tearing his wand from his grip. He hit the wall of the courtyard with a thump as all air whooshed from his chest. He coughed and placed his hand on the wall and leaned over to try and catch his breath.

"So weak. So pitiable." The Master mocked. "You have potential boy, but you refuse to utilise it. Disgraceful, just like your Mother."

"Don't you say a word against my Mother." He growled in response.

"I have no further need for you now. Look at you, you can't kill me and you couldn't even kill Dumbledore. Your Father must be so ashamed of you, I know I certainly would be. Avada Kedavra." The green light shot towards Draco who quickly turned and stretched out his hands using all the force he had left to halt the spell in its tracks. The Master's eyes widened at the display of power but they narrowed again shortly after as he began pushing the spell more and more.

Much to the Master's horror, the spell began falling back in his direction, no matter how hard he pushed it. If he let go, it would rebound full force and kill him instantly. No matter, he had a plan which would involve him dying sooner or later. As if on cue, the group that Lupin had sent to find them came rushing into the courtyard. Draco paid them no heed as he continued to push the spell closer and closer to the tip of the Master's wand. The Master was no longer trying to push the spell forward, but provided enough resistance to look as if he were trying. He eyed the Minister carefully and took one hand off his wand and waved it, giving Draco the opportunity to force the spell forward with full force which shot into the Master's chest. Leaving him dead.


	29. Chapter 29

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, probably the moment some of you have all been waiting for right? Because this chapter gets a little Lemon flavoured. It's about time right? ;3_

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**_Chapter XXIX_**

The body of the Master fell to the ground and his wand rolled from his hand leaving everyone around them in complete shock. There were mixed reactions to the death, but they were all ones of relief. Draco stood stone still, unable to comprehend that he had just stopped a war from happening. He had taken the place of Harry Potter and accomplished what he could not. How was it possible?

Harry, who was now free from the ropes on the Master's death was the first to walk up to Draco and without saying a word, he pulled him into a manly embrace, clapping him on the back as if they had been friends all of their lives. Everybody was cheering. Adrenaline pounded through Draco's veins and he felt shaky and weak with the realisation.

Things following that night passed in a blur. The Wizarding world didn't celebrate as much as expected, they were simply relieved that their suffering was coming to a close now and with a new Minister for Magic it felt as though a new era was beginning and it was finally time to turn a new leaf. With there being no real threat anymore, Draco decided to take a much needed break where he wasn't constantly worrying about something or other. He decided to start off by burying his Mother and giving her a proper yet private funeral where only a handful of guests attended.

He was very anxious to know what had happened to his Father after that night in the courtyard, because Draco had a horrible feeling that the celebrations were going to be short lived. He knew what the Death Eaters were like, and just because they had lost their leader, didn't mean that they were going to give up. No, Draco knew that this was only the beginning and his Father was allowing the Wizarding community to fall into a false sense of security and it panicked him.

Hermione too had been having her doubts, although not for the same reasons as Draco had been. Being the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic was not all that she had hoped, of course she shared her load of work with Justin who was Advisor to the Minister but she felt as though something were wrong. Since the night that the Master had been vanquished, Theo had been much changed. She noticed how he now threw himself into his constant work, he would stay and do more overtime than she herself would which was very out of character for him.

He had lost some of his charisma and wasn't too fond of socialising anymore, he had even turned Daphne Greengrass away when she had come back to him. Something indeed was wrong with Theo, however Justin and Hermione had both put it down to trying to strengthen his public image. It would make sense after all, the whole Wizarding community would be looking to Theo now to see what moves he would make. He would be under heavy public scrutiny if he made a wrong move and he needed to retain his position. She just wished it wouldn't affect him so.

It had been a while since she had seen Draco, but she wanted to know where things stood between them. She wasn't lying when she said she had cared for him deeply, and when she had spoken to Blinky he had told her that Draco had secluded himself within the Manor. Perhaps he was under shock? After all, stopping a war isn't something that one takes lightly and in addition he had to grieve for his Mother.

She had attended his Mother's funeral, although he hadn't spoken to anyone and she didn't even know if he had seen her there. She had been buried with all of the other Order members who had been lost on the little island in the middle of the Black Lake beside her parents. The place that only Order members knew about, they didn't want to give anybody the opportunity to shun the Order members after their deaths, since some of them like Sirius were still classed as criminals despite the fact that Hermione had personally seen to it that he was issued a posthumous pardon.

It was when she was sitting at her parents' old home on a Saturday afternoon, with no work she could be doing nor anybody she could really talk to, that she decided to pay him a visit. She had tried to make herself look nice, although the almost war had already taken its toll on her appearance. After her ordeal, she still looked haunted. Not as much as what she previously had done, yet it was still noticeable. The dark shading under her eyes was glamoured most of the time since her picture beside Theo was often in the Prophet and her hair was thinning slightly with stress. Her scars still were prominent and made her feel ugly when she looked at them, yet she would never glamour those, scars had the strangest way of making her feel like she had existed at one time.

She apparated to the front of Draco's Manor in Suffolk and pulled her white knitted cardigan tightly around her blue floral sundress as she began to walk up the path that led to the front door. She breathed deeply before ringing the doorbell only to have Blinky answer the door almost as soon as her finger had left the button.

"Mistress Hermione! Blinky knew yous would be coming home!" He exclaimed as he jumped up and down happily before hugging Hermione's leg.

"It's good to be back Blinky." She replied, and she actually meant it. This Manor felt more like home to her now that her own house did. She felt more at ease when she was here, and she didn't have horrible reminders about her ordeal all around her like she did in her own house. The countryside could help her forget about all of her problems which she had left firmly behind with the cities. "How is he doing?" She asked curiously.

"Master Draco is worried, Mistress. He being sad because of Mistress Narcissa and Blinky thinks he misses Mistress Hermione." Blinky said honestly.

"Do you know where he is?"

"Master Draco being in the Nursery, Mistress." Blinky replied as he smiled at her.

"Thank you Blinky." She smiled in return and made for the stairs as Blinky disapparated. She silently crept across the familiar hallway, wondering what on Earth she would say to him when she finally came face to face with him again. There was a lot of things she wanted to say, but she'd be damned if she let herself say half of them. She opened the door to the Nursery to see that he was staring up at the portrait of his family once again.

"You're not him, you know." She stated, which startled him out of his daze as he turned his head to face her.

"I didn't know you were here."

"I didn't know I was coming, truthfully." She chuckled nervously. "How are you faring?"

"As well as can be expected, _Milady_" He teased. "Yourself?"

She rolled her eyes and giggled. "I told you not to call me that, I'm still young! But I'm okay, I guess. I just-I don't know it was weird not being here really. You know, I should go, I don't even know what I'm doing here." She threw her hands up in defeat.

"No, I'm glad you're here. It's been rather boring without you about the house. Nights are a little too quiet for my liking." He admitted sheepishly.

"Without me screaming the house down you mean?" She grinned and he tried to ignore the unintentional innuendo.

"Of course. Now, would you like to stay for lunch? Then you can tell me all about how fun it is being Our Lady, the Senior Undersecretary." He teased.

"Oh don't even go there!" She warned jokingly. "Come on then, you need to get out of here." She held out her hand to help him up and hauled him to his feet, before they both walked to the dining room where Hermione managed to eat a whole meal without even thinking, much to Draco's relief.

Hey spent the whole day together, over lunch she told him all about her duties as the Senior Undersecretary, all the Departments that had been placed under her watch and whatnot. He didn't fail to notice how her face lit up as she spoke about her work and he thought it must be something she thoroughly enjoyed. They continued their conversation as they walked together through the gardens and past the pond, unaware of the sun which was quickly setting when they finally settled back in the lounge before the fireplace.

"Well, I'm truly honoured to be in the presence of such a powerful witch." He mocked.

"I'm only powerful politically, you're powerful magically. And personally, I'd rather the latter." She admitted. "You should've seen yourself at the battle, it was just so…so…extraordinary! I mean you were glowing red and then you summoned this ball of magic with your hands and…wow…I can't even begin to describe it." She breathed.

"It's a dangerous power. I'm lucky I didn't die after using it. It drained me of almost all of my magic and I had to well…refill." He trailed off.

"Thank you for saving me, that day. You know, when Avery had me and…" She shuddered at the memory. "Thank you for protecting me too, I don't think I'd still be here if it weren't for you." She admitted.

"It was my pleasure, really. If it hadn't been for that, I wouldn't have gotten to know you the way I do now. You'd still be the insufferable little wench that I despised so much." He chuckled.

"And you'd still be the obnoxious git that I detested so." She backfired. The clock above the mantle struck ten. Hermione spared it a glance and almost jumped out of her skin. "Oh my goodness, we've been sitting here for hours! It's late, I really should go. Do you have a floo?" She asked.

"Yes, of course. This way." He stood up and placed his hand on the small of her back as he guided her through the array of rooms until they found the fireplace. They stood before it together when she spoke again, suddenly feeling awkward.

"Well, I'll just be going then." She announced cheerily before standing up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek. As soon as her lips touched him, the flames had been ignited. She felt almost as if she were in a trance when she slowly drew away, still hovering only a few centimetres away from his face. He turned his head and nudged his nose against hers before experimentally pecking her on the lips and she was a goner. She looked into his eyes once more, seeing them darken with lust before letting her gaze slip to his lips. He took this as incentive and pulled her into a crushing kiss which she returned just as fervently. She wound her arms around his neck and began running her fingers through his soft platinum locks as he kept his arms securely circled around her waist. The only noise to fill the quite room was the sound of their lips smacking and their teeth clacking together as they tried desperately to take in as much of the other one as they could. Their mouths moulded together and their tongues entwined and teased each other. She daringly lifted her leg and wrapped it around his waist and he groaned loudly before moving one of his hands to hold her leg in place around him.

She could feel the evidence of his arousal poking her in the stomach and she blushed deeply at the realisation. It felt too good to stop, so why should she? Besides she was 19 and still a virgin, now was a good time to do it if any, especially if it was with someone she cared about, right? Because she did care about him, she cared about him a lot, in fact she could probably almost say she loved him. _Love_? Would she allow herself to go that far? There was no more danger now that Master was dead so why the hell not? Besides, it might allow her to think straight once she got him out of her system.

She tore her mouth away from his and peppered little kisses along the corner of his mouth, following his jaw up to his ear whilst he paid special attention to her neck which was a sweet spot for her. She felt herself dampen between her legs, a sensation she was still unfamiliar with. She bit her lip at the delicious flips her stomach was doing, never before had she felt so wanton, so desirable, so alive! She knew deep down that she could never allow things between herself and Draco to progress more than what they already were, but she just wanted one taste of what it would be like, then she could go back to her life of self-inflicted spinsterhood.

"Take me upstairs." She whispered seductively. This was it, the moment he had wanted ever since he had cornered her at that airport all those months ago and yet now, so much had changed. He didn't want to ruin her, she was too perfect, too pure to be tainted by the likes of him. And yet, against all of the odds, she actually wanted him.

After all of those sleepless nights lying awake with her curled up next to him in a fitful sleep, after all those little moments of trying to restrain himself not to touch her or tell her how beautiful she really was. It wasn't a question of whether he wanted to or not, because he certainly did want to. It was a question of could he possibly involve himself with her, because when the war started which he was sure it would, she would be dragged down with him. Could he really allow that?

When he thought about it, he didn't really know if he could, yet could he imagine going away on a mission and never coming back without having touched her and tasted her in every way he wanted to? It was unthinkable, but he wanted to make sure that she was certain she wanted to do this, since he wasn't very fond of morning after regrets. If she did however, things would be so different.

Refusing to think about it anymore, he picked her up keeping his lips firmly attached to hers with her legs wrapped around his waist as he began to carry her through the house, heading for the stairs. She reached down for the hem of his shirt and began to tug it up, he pushed her against the wall of the hall detaching his lips from hers and lifting his arms up so that she could tug his shirt up over his head and deposit it on the floor beside them. She gave him a quick kiss before pushing him back slightly when she began to fumble with his belt, trying to undo it with hasty and shaky hands. When his belt was finally free, she pushed down his trousers so that they were pooled around his ankles before returning to claim his mouth.

"We're never going to make it upstairs at this rate." She chuckled quickly before moulding her mouth to his once more as he pushed her white cardigan off her shoulders and down her arms so that it fell to the floor behind them both. He curled his arms around her again and stepped out of his trousers before he made for the stairs. On the way she pulled her dress above her head and dropped it on the floor which was followed shortly by her bra leaving her clad in only her knickers.

He tried to stop his eyes wandering to the perfect mounds that were her breasts which were rubbing against his chest as he climbed the stairs while she was still hooked onto him, planting kisses along his shoulder and the side of his neck as he revelled in the skin on skin contact.

It felt like forever until he finally reached his bedroom where he gently deposited her on the bed and climbed on top of her close behind. Both of them were panting heavily with desire, each of them running their hands over every inch of skin they could reach. It felt all too good to be true for Hermione, this was her first intimacy and she wasn't nervous anymore in the least. It felt so natural, and so right to be doing this with him.

He detached his lips from hers once again and she let out a whimper of need. He leant back onto his knees to take a good look at her. Oh, how many fantasies was he fulfilling right now? Hermione Granger was clad only in a pair of panties on his bed, wanting him, and she was just as perfect if not more so, than he could ever have imagined. In contrast to the hasty removal of their clothes he slowly hooked his fingers into her knickers and slowly drew them down her legs which she had lifted for him, caressing her skin along the way. The little smattering of hair above her glistening folds was surprisingly cut short and kept neat which was unexpected of her however he approved and finally slipped her knickers off her feet and tossed them aside which were shortly followed by his own boxers.

"Are you sure you want this?" He asked softly as he trailed his fingers up the smooth expanse of her legs. She sat up and wrapped a hand around the back of his neck, gently pulling him down towards her again as she parted her legs for him.

"I've never been surer." She whispered in reassurance before placing a gentler kiss to his lips which he gladly reciprocated. His hand skated down her sides, past her breast and hips until he slipped a finger between them and through her folds. She gasped in response of being touched so intimately and felt the jolt of pleasure coursing through her.

"We've got time for that later. Just do it Draco, I need you, please." She whimpered before placing kisses down his neck and onto the top of his chest.

"I know, I can't wait either but I need to see if you're ready." He panted before slipping a finger into her channel. She watched her lover's eyes widen upon his discovery of just how ready she was before the tip of his finger skated over a part of her that made her cry out involuntarily. Her little noise made him even harder than he was before which was almost impossible. He was aching with need and so withdrew his fingers from her and placed his tip at her entrance.

Placing his hands on either side of her to steady himself, he fell towards the bed where she lifted herself up to meet him halfway as their lips collided once more. He lifted her leg and hooked it around his waist once more before slowly – oh so torturously slowly – sliding himself in. She moaned at the feeling of being stretched, something which hurt quite considerably and yet quelled her need. He carried on until he reached the obtrusive barrier, with one look into her chocolate eyes he descended and kissed her neck before surging forwards quickly. She gasped in pain and he stilled for a moment, allowing her to become comfortable to the feeling of him.

He began to test the waters and slowly withdrew before plunging back in as slow as a pace as he could manage to allow her to adapt. It is true what they said; sex was so much better when it was with someone you actually cared for. Only a few strokes inside Hermione and he was more than ready to blow his load but he wanted to make sure she was satisfied before he let himself. It was her first time after all.

It was a sharp stabbing pain at first, one she was sure she didn't like but then it subsided into a dull ache which wasn't very bothersome at all. Then he started to gradually pick up the pace, not fast enough to hurt her, but not so agonizingly slowly that he feared he might explode either. They were both panting noisily now and the occasional moan was let out from either one of them at the feeling of immense pleasure building deep inside of them. She found herself writhing beneath him, as their bodies joined and their souls connected in the most intimate fashion. She honestly didn't know why she didn't do it before.

When he got too close, he made sure to slow down even more for a few moments until he was sure she was close. Then he scooped an arm underneath her arched back and pulled her up so that she was straddling his lap as he sat back on the covers. He could slide in and out of her channel with ease but Merlin was she tight, making it a whole lot harder for him to control himself.

He wrapped one arm around her waist to hold her close while the other rested on her hip, pushing her down and pulling her back up so they could establish a rhythm. He plastered kisses up and down her neck and shoulders, occasionally stopping back at her mouth before suckling on her pulse point where her neck joined her shoulders which made her whimper loudly. He could feel his own release building once again and he wasn't sure if he had the strength to suppress it again. He reached a hand down between them to stimulate the little bud of nerves that made her writhe.

Her breathing picked up and she began to move herself with more speed and force, feeling the delicious build-up of pleasure inside of her. She was moaning in abandon now pleading with him not to stop ever and keep on doing what he was doing. He smirked against her lips before slipping his tongue into her mouth once more as the coil inside of her snapped releasing wave after wave of ecstasy washing over her. She cried out loudly and her heart swelled massively.

She tightened her grip around his neck and tilted back her head in a silent scream before gasping and trying to catch her breath as she rode out the last waves of her pleasure. When she had found her own release, he began working towards his own shortly before he began spurting his hit seed into her welcoming channel as he rode out his own pleasure.

They both fell back to the mattress with him atop her, still sheathed inside her warmth before he began peppering every inch of her face and neck with kisses until he could feel himself going flaccid. He withdrew himself from her and collapsed beside her and she found herself what in the hell she had done.


	30. Chapter 30

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

* * *

**_Chapter XXX_**

Her eyes fluttered open when she became aware of the strong morning light that was causing a blinding pain behind her eyelids. She opened her eyes slowly and allowed herself to become aware of her surroundings. She wasn't pleased with what she found. She was unbearably hot, which could probably be explained by the fact that there was a Draco Malfoy wrapped around her. Her heart began beating erratically in her chest, what had she allowed herself to do? She wanted nothing more than to beat her head against the wall repeatedly at the stupid thing she had done.

She had wanted to do what she had done last night with Draco for a long time. She had thought that perhaps a small taste would be enough to satisfy herself and now she was dismayed to find that it hadn't. He had given her one of the best experiences of her life and she was scared she had formed an even deeper and intimate connection to him, a connection that she desperately prayed was only one-sided.

It probably was, besides, when had Draco Malfoy ever settled down into a relationship? Never, that's when, Harry had told her all about his womanizing ways. Hopefully this was all he wanted her for, a one-time thing to satisfy his need because he'd had the uptight virginal Mudblood. Even if it wasn't, there was no way she was going to allow this to progress any further than it had already gone.

Lucius Malfoy was still at large, she knew this and it still scared her. Everyone was adamant that without his Master, he would simply slip away into the shadows and stay away but she wasn't so convinced. Worst of all, he now knew that his son was very much alive, and in Lucius' eyes he was a blood traitor. She could only guess what he would do with Draco, or attempt to do, but if she let herself get involved with him then it would probably result in something to do with her too.

If not him, then possibly her. Lucius Malfoy wasn't one to simply give up, if he was, she was sure that he would've left her alone as soon as his first attempt on her life had failed. If he found out that she was involved with Draco, then things would go very badly for one – if not both – of them. She wouldn't allow that to happen. At least in the depths of her impending loneliness, she could say that she had loved albeit only once.

She had to get out of here, before he woke up. She knew it was a heartless thing to do but it would be better this way. By doing this, she wouldn't have to face telling him she was leaving, she wouldn't have to face him possibly convincing her to stay. She just prayed he only wanted her for a one-time thing, even if that wasn't the way that she felt deep down.

She shifted in his arms, wincing at the soreness between her legs. She slowly drew back the blankets and slowly lifted the arm that he had wrapped possessively around her stomach, placing it gently by his side. His leg was still entangled with hers and so she pressed her leg deep into the mattress to try and gain enough room for her to slip it underneath his without disturbing him before gradually proceeding to roll out of the bed so she didn't dip the mattress too much and alert him.

She crawled along the floor and picked up her knickers from on the floor in his bedroom before slipping them on quietly. She cursed silently, all of her clothes were littered about the house. She stole a look back at the man she had left in the bed, sleeping soundly, blissfully unaware of her desertion. Some Gryffindor she was. She wanted to touch him again, just one last time. Run her fingers through his hair or plant kisses along his jaw, but she was scared that he might wake if she did. At least she could say that she had felt his touch when she cried herself to sleep at night.

She pushed the bedroom door open slowly and peeked out into the hall, spying her bra laying haphazardly on the stair banister. She placed her hands around her chest and quietly sprinted towards the banister, snagging her bra before covering herself with it. She began descending the stairs where she found her blue floral sundress from the day before, creased and crumpled from lying on the stairs all night. She pulled it on over her head and smoothed out as many of the creases that she could before carrying on in pursuit of her cardigan.

When she finally got towards the floo room, she found her cardigan accompanied by the majority of his clothing in a pile close to the wall. She began to walk towards it when a pop startled her and she ducked quickly behind a corner. When she peered around again, Blinky was there picking up his Master's clothes from the floor. She cursed silently before eying her cardigan in the pile longingly. Blinky picked up Draco's trousers before disapparating again, she timed how long it took for him to return which was bordering on 20 seconds. He picked up Draco's shirt and disapparated again. She seized her chance and sprinted towards where Draco's socks and shoes were left alongside her cardigan, snatching it up and making a dash for the floo. Her stomach dropped when there was a pop behind her.

"Oh, Mistress Hermione!" Blinky exclaimed. She turned around slowly, cringing.

"No, Blinky. Shh." She pleaded. The elf looked at her confusedly. "Master Draco is still sleeping." She clarified and the elf instantly slackened, however he still eyed her warily.

"Mistress be wishing to stay for breakfast?" He asked.

"No!...I mean, that won't be necessary, thank you Blinky." She forced a smile to the elf who clearly wasn't impressed. She knew that he knew what she was doing and she felt downright awful for it. The longer that she stood here, the more time she was wasting meaning that it was likely that Draco would awaken before she left. "I have some work that needs to be seen to urgently." She lied. "I shall be off, and I'll see you...soon Blinky." She said hastily before dashing into the floo room and flooing out promptly.

The elf stood there dazed for a moment. He wanted to have asked his Mistress what sort of work she would be having to do on a Sunday and also why she left without her shoes. He scratched his head confused, before returning to his work, picking up his Master's shoes and socks before disapparating to the kitchen to get breakfast ready for his Master.

OOO

Hermione stumbled into her own lounge and tried to calm her pounding heart. She locked her floo quickly, knowing full well that as soon as Draco was up he would be over demanding to know why she pulled the stunt that she did. It had only caused more problems but she couldn't resist him, she had been for so long and it just felt so right. Besides, it was her that came onto him so it really was all her fault and she had played him horribly.

Perhaps it was for the best? Now things would be very awkward between the two of them and he would hopefully take a dislike to her for being so cold about everything. Then, he wouldn't be so adamant about pursuing her and he could get on with his life and she with hers. The subject would never be revisited. Besides, with the almost-war stopped, she would no longer need his protection. She had her own magic back now and so she could competently ward her home and floo so that nobody could get in, she was the brightest witch of her age after all. Being in the Ministry would help too, her new job required dedication and she was more than willing to throw herself into her work if it meant avoiding Draco.

When she had calmed herself, she began stripping off yesterday's clothes and dumping them all in the hamper before heading upstairs for a much needed shower. She wouldn't use the bathroom adjoined to her old bedroom, in fact she never even set foot in there now. Every time she did, she would always stare at the blood stains in the carpet from where she had been stabbed. Every time the lights were off, she would always expect to see Lucius emerging from the shadows with his knife glinting in the moonlight.

She had actually moved into her parents' old room, which was still painful for her. She had disposed of all of the old furniture and given it a new look. As much as she loved her parents, she didn't want to be sad every time she walked into her own bedroom, it was still quite a sore spot for her. She jumped into the smaller shower downstairs and began scrubbing away all evidence of hers and Draco's love making from last night. She was still sore and every time she tried to walk, her insides chafed painfully but as sick as it was, she liked it. It reminded her that it had actually happened.

As she finished washing away the last of the reminders that her virginity was indeed gone, she heard a voice calling her from the floo. The sound of the shower made the voice incoherent and she couldn't pinpoint who it was, but she had an idea and she knew she wouldn't like it. Her stomach dropped, he couldn't be up already could he? She jumped out of the shower with a towel pulled around her. That sad, stupid part of her was wishing she would stroll into the lounge to hear Draco's voice demanding that he come through to talk to her, but the bigger and smarter part of her was petrified of what he would say to her upon seeing her next time.

As soon as she exited the bathroom, she could hear the voice more clearly and she was relieved to find that it didn't belong to her one-time blond lover.

"HERMIONE GRANGER, YOU OPEN THIS FLOO RIGHT NOW DAMMIT!" Shrieked her red-haired best girlfriend through the floo. Hermione ran over to the floo.

"Gin, I'll open the floo, just bear with me when you come through. I've just come out of the shower for Merlin's sake!" Hermione explained. No sooner had she activated the floo, had Ginny Potter emerged through the green flames. She rushed forward and hugged a towel-clad Hermione.

"You have no idea how worried I've been! I tried to come through yesterday afternoon but you'd locked it. I've been trying for ages now, what happened to you?"

"I was just tired and had some work to catch up on." Hermione lied.

"Only you would be working on a Saturday, 'Mione." Ginny rolled her eyes at her friend as she began pulling clothes at random from the drying rack and throwing them over her arm.

"Hey, you would be too if you were Senior Undersecretary." Hermione backfired.

"I assure you I most definitely would not, _Milady."_ Ginny teased.

Hermione's head snapped around. "Why does everyone say that, I'm not 50 you know!" She chuckled.

"Really? Could've fooled me." Ginny laughed. Hermione huffed in response and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Umm, so 'Mione, what kinda work were you up to yesterday?" Ginny asked curiously.

"Just filling out some extra paperwork for Theo, he's absolutely useless at administration I tell you." Hermione chuckled light-heartedly. She certainly did not want to face the Ginny Potter Inquisition right now.

"Uh-huh…..okay 'Mione, cut the crap who're you shacking up with?" Ginny demanded.

"What!? I'm not as you so eloquently put it 'shacking up' with anybody. I don't know where you get your absurd ideas Ginny." She laughed nervously.

"So you're not seeing anyone then?"

"Nope…"

"That's odd because I didn't know you had the ability to give yourself a love bite on your neck."

Hermione blanched. Dropping all of her clothes to the floor, she ran to the bathroom quickly and wiped the condensation off the mirror hastily while Ginny sat smugly on the sofa with her arms crossed when she heard the exclamation from the bathroom.

"Three….two….one…." Ginny muttered.

"HOLY MOTHER OF MERLIN!" She screeched. Ginny clamped her lips together to try and stifle the fit of giggles that was threatening to surface. A few moments later, Hermione wandered back into the lounge with her hand over the angry mark on her neck.

"So, do you want to readjust your statement?" Ginny asked with her arms crossed over her chest, tapping her foot impatiently. "That's what you were out doing all last night wasn't it? Oh Hermione Granger you little vixen." Ginny shook her head amusedly.

"Look, I didn't want anyone to find out-" Hermione started.

"If you wanted to be discreet, you might need to remove the damning evidence first darling." Ginny giggled.

"Do you know any glamour charms I can cover this monster with?" Hermione asked hopefully.

Ginny picked an invisible piece of lint from her jeans. "I might know one or two, however in exchange I need to know who this lucky guy was and how good he was."

"For shame! I'm not one to kiss and tell Gin but you have to help me!" She pleaded.

"Oh come on 'Mione, I'm a married woman, my sexcapades are over. Well, they never really started. Harry's good and all but variety is the spice of life. Anyway, point is I have to live through you now so spill."

"I can't, if this gets out I'm ruined." She threw her head into her hands.

"So a forbidden romance, that narrows down the suspects. Right, let me think, he knows his way around judging where's made his mark. Someone with experience, it wasn't Theo was it?"

"Good Godric! Of course it wasn't Theo! I can't exactly go around shagging the man I have to work with and make major decisions with. That would be highly improper Ginny!"

"Well I don't think it was Justin, he looks like a fumbler to me." Ginny thought aloud.

"A fumbler?" Hermione repeated.

"Yes, someone who doesn't know what they're doing. Gosh 'Mione, don't act like such a virgin. Oh wait a minute…it was totally your first wasn't it?" Ginny smiled wickedly. Hermione's sudden blush told her everything she needed to know. "Oh 'Mione, you're finally a woman!" She beamed. "Well, it must've been someone pretty special."

"Not necessarily."

"Don't lie, you always used to lecture me whenever I tried to hook you up with someone about how sacred your virginity was, you wouldn't give it to just anybody."

"So what, it doesn't really matter does it?" Hermione snapped.

"Yes it does. If he was special enough for him to be your first, then what are you doing back here at this time in the morning. You should be revelling in your post-coital bliss!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Like I said Gin, it's not that simple. It shouldn't have happened. I was weak and I got tempted, now look where I am. Spoiled."

"Spoiled? No, no Hermione. You've got everything wrong. Do you really wish you hadn't done it?"

Hermione was silent for a few moments. If she could go back to last night and do it all over again, would she have stepped through the floo and spent another night alone? Would she really have walked away from one of the best things that had ever happened to her?

"No." She whispered.

"Then what's stopping you from going back?"

"It's improper-"

"It's natural." Ginny interrupted.

"-there are many reasons why he and I couldn't be together Ginny. I don't know what to do, I really don't. My brain and my heart are conflicted and it's so frustrating! My heart is telling me to throw caution for the wind and see what happens but it's scared that if I'd have stayed, he'd wake up and treat me like a conquest. That's what he's like, it's in his nature and he's so infuriating and caring at the same time. He scares the shit out of me sometimes but other times he's a big softie…"

"What are you waiting for Hermione?" Ginny asked.

"I'm not waiting. I'm listening to my brain, the rational part that's never failed me. My brain is hoping that he treats me like a conquest so that it's easier for me to put him aside once and for all. It's too dangerous for us both, besides I'm the Undersecretary, I have a lot of work and an image to maintain and-"

"Hermione! You're overthinking this way too much dear. You're just scared, and there's nothing wrong with that you know. You can't learn love from a book which is why you're so trusting of your brain, because its unfamiliar territory to you and that doesn't sit right with you. It's okay 'Mione, I went through the exact same phase with Harry, I mean I would sit there and wonder what his intentions were with me because what would the Chosen One really want with little Ginny Weasley, right?"

"But Ginny, you're everything Harry ever wanted and more. Nobody could compete with you, you've given him the most precious thing he has. Love, from which you've had a beautiful little boy. Draco's not like that-"

"Excuse me, did you just say Draco? As in Draco Malfoy? Holy Mother of everything that's magical, now I really want details." Ginny gasped.

"Oh bugger." Hermione exclaimed before burying her head into her hands. "Must you have details?" She sighed resignedly. Ginny nodded her head eagerly.

"I've heard a lot about Draco Malfoy's sexual prowess and I want to see if the rumours are true."

"Well, he was sweet and gentle…tender even. It was just so…beautiful…"

"Did he make you come? How did he do it?"

Hermione turned her head away bashfully. "Yes." She whispered timidly. "And what do you mean how, there's only one way." She hissed, embarrassed.

"Oh dear, it's a good thing you have a good tutor. You're a lost cause. Well, he could do it with his fingers, his mouth which by the way is mind-blowing, Harry does this thing-"

"NO! Ginny, he's like my brother, I do not want to hear about his technique!" She exclaimed.

"Still! Well, I'm absolutely baffled. You and Draco Malfoy, I mean wow. It was only a matter of time now you think about it, the tension between you two was coming off in waves."

"It doesn't matter Ginny, it won't be happening again. He doesn't feel that way about me and I'm certainly not risking both of our necks for a good tumble between the sheets."

"Did he say that in actual words? Because I don't believe that for one god damn minute, he's just good at concealing his feelings for you. I mean, you should've seen how scared he was when he had that vision, then he sat at your bedside for ages until you woke up in St Mungo's, not to mention the way he told Lupin and Dumbledore off for allowing your attacker to find you again. If that's not love then I don't know what is." Ginny huffed.

"It wouldn't work. Nobody but you, him and I know about this, and I want it to remain that way. Forever."

"Does he know you feel this way?" Ginny asked. Hermione didn't answer and nervously began twiddling her damp curls. "Oh, you didn't did you? You totally did. You left him asleep! Hermione, that's heartless!" Ginny cried.

"I'm sorry!" She whimpered. "I shouldn't have done it, I know. But I was scared that if I waited for him to wake up, he would ask me not to leave. I couldn't do that." She wiped the stray tears away from her face. Ginny stood up and pulled her poor, misguided friend into a hug.

"Okay 'Mione, calm down. I didn't mean to upset you, but he's probably awake right now, hurt that you left him. You know that right. He cares for you a lot more than you realise, at first I just thought he was a protective friend or something but now you've told me this, everything falls into place. It all makes sense and I really don't know how I didn't see it before!"

"Please don't make me feel guilty Gin, I already feel horrible as it is. It's just for the greater good. It would help if we both just moved on now and forgot the whole thing ever happened."

"So you're going to avoid him?"

"Technically, yes. If I find myself alone with him, I don't think I'll be able to turn him down Ginny, it's really hard when my body is screaming at me to give in but I don't. Don't get me wrong, he's a wonderful lover but I don't want us to both have to go through more pain. It's not fair."

"Why are you so sure that you're putting each other in danger?"

"Did Harry tell you who my attacker was?" Hermione asked. "Well I found out that it was Lucius Malfoy. He's only just found out that Draco is alive too. You know he won't stop at anything until he gets his hands on Draco for being a blood traitor, or he ends up coming back for me to finish off what he started. Either way, we both get hurt. I'm not going to put myself through that Gin, because I don't know if I would make it through. I've lost so much already, but anything more and I'm going to break." She whispered. "So I'd rather he spend his life hating me for being a bitch than lose him altogether."

"You'd be stronger together. He would help you, you know. To me, he seems like one of those guys that when they fall in love, they fall hard. It's not just something he can snap out of you know and everything that's happened has brought you closer together. I mean look at you, if I went through half of what you did, I'm sure I'd have put a wand to my head by now. Perhaps it's fate."

"You know I don't believe in fate, Ginny. You can try to persuade me all you like but it's not going to work. I can promise you that." Hermione said firmly.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Merlin, what did I ever do to get stuck with such an impossible friend?"

"I don't know, but it must've been awful." Hermione chuckled.

* * *

_*Holds hands up in surrender* I know you hate me for making her do it! BUT, it won't be lasting long. I promise._

_P.S. How many lemons do you guys like? ;3_


	31. Chapter 31

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

* * *

**_Chapter XXXI_**

He hadn't spoken to her in six days now. Six long and miserable days. He really would've sought her out sooner but he needed to ensure that all of his anger and frustration was completely handled before he dare go near her again. He had been so furious, that he was sure he had cleared a good few acres of trees in the forest nearby his Manor trying to find a safe outlet for all of the rage he had building up inside of him.

He wasn't a big fan of morning after regrets, and although she hadn't actually stayed long enough to say it, the simple gesture was enough to send him the message. He wasn't stupid. He was the one who would do the leaving if any, it most certainly would not be her. It was humiliating, and also quite disheartening. He had given her his all that night, he had tried to make it as perfect as he could have done pouring out every emotion he had into each kiss, each touch.

But apparently that wasn't enough, because to Little Miss Perfect, he wasn't good enough for her. This wouldn't stop him. Oh no. He had had her once, and he was even more determined to have her again. He would make her never even want to look at another man, he would make her never want to think about another man. She was his now, completely and irrevocably his and he wouldn't stop until she was in his bed indefinitely.

He had tried to be the touchy feely kind of man that most women liked, but apparently that wasn't working for her. He had respected her space, he hadn't pushed her too hard once he revealed his feelings for her but no, still not good enough. If that woman wanted to be dominated, she was going the right way about it because he wouldn't take this degradation. He was going to win her back with whatever methods he needed, after all, Slytherin folk use any means to achieve their ends. And he would be starting with the shoes she had left behind during her hasty retreat.

His eyes blackened before brightening to the deadly red as he lashed out on the nearest unsuspecting object.

* * *

Hermione had spent her week trying and failing to get thoughts of Draco out of her head. She threw herself into her work as usual to try and distract herself from the ever present thought of him in the back of her mind. It had been six days now, six days since she had left him after their fabulous night together and she hadn't heard a peep from him since.

She took this as a good sign really, it meant that her suspicions were right and he did indeed only need to conquer her before it was all over. That was fine for her. Well, that was what she tried to convince herself at least. The internal war was still raging between her heart and her brain and sometimes she just wished she could silence them both. Perhaps having her soul sucked out by a Dementor wouldn't have been such a bad thing.

Her heart was breaking at the realisation that he didn't want her, yet her brain was giving a standing applause and finally kicking her into gear, telling her it was nice while it lasted and it was time to move on. She had a country to help run, a job which wouldn't do itself, especially with boys like Theo and Justin. Well, that's how it used to be anyway. Both boys had matured incredibly during her time in hiding, perhaps they had learned to be a little more self-dependant rather than relying on her to proofread their papers all the time.

If she had not spent her time working on the new policies that the three of them had discussed before she had gone into hiding, she would spend a lot of time around at Grimmauld Place with the Potters. The house was a lot less crowded since the Order was disbanding after the gala at the Ministry tomorrow night, held in celebrations of the end of the Master and his threat of war. She still had to buy a dress as a matter of fact, since she would probably have to make a speech of some sorts during the night. If she wasn't such an important political figure, she wouldn't bother going since she had no time for such silly events anymore.

She sighed threw her head into her hands, rubbing her temples furiously to try and soothe the pounding headache that had resulted from thoughts of Draco Malfoy all day. She glanced down at her watch, 6pm. Everyone would be clearing out of the Ministry besides those doing overtime today which was something she wasn't quite sure she would be able to manage. Her eyes raked over the sheet of parchment before her, it was her first draft for the Blood Relations Act that she would pioneer. _The act to make fresh provision with respect to discrimination of racial grounds and relations between people of different blood purity groups._ If it worked, it would change the bigotry and racism that she had been subjected to through her short life, creating a better world for the children of the future. Too bad none of those children would be hers.

She collected together all of her notes and the draft and piled them all into a folder which she had placed inside the safe in her office. It wouldn't be good if someone decided to go pilfering through her work and she lost all of her precious annotations and ideas so someone else could claim credit for it. She locked her safe tightly, it was a useful thing to have around because nobody here knew how to unlock a Muggle safe so all was well indeed.

She decided instead of going home and undoubtedly being alone for another night, she would visit the Potters again since Ginny was her only comfort nowadays being the only one who knew of her little secret. It pained her not to let Harry know, she felt as though she couldn't trust him with something like this, despite the fact that he was her greatest friend. His new friendship with Draco was still rather fragile and a revelation like this might possibly snap that fragile bond between the two in the worst case scenario.

On her way out of the office, she bumped straight into Justin who quickly reached out to steady her with his hands.

"Ah, there you are my little lion. I've been looking for you." He smiled.

"Looking for me? Well I'm flattered." Hermione teased.

"Yes well, it seems that our dearest friend Theodore insists upon my attendance at the gala tomorrow night, unfortunately, and I was wondering if you'd perhaps like to go with me as my date, maybe?" He asked hopefully causing her brow to furrow. "We'd just be going as friends of course Hermione." He added quickly.

She almost sighed with relief. "Oh, yes Justin that sounds wonderful. I know how much you despise these events much like myself actually so we can leave as soon as the necessities are over with."

"Yes of course. I'll pick you up at shall we say 7?"

"That sounds reasonable, as long as we stay no longer that a few hours at the most. I can't stand social functions, especially for unnecessary purposes."

"Well, I apologise for having kept you Hermione and I shall see you tomorrow evening." He smiled.

"'Till then, Justin." She bade him goodbye.

"Milady." He gave her a slight bow of the head and stepped away from the door allowing her to pass and walk towards the lifts, gritting her teeth the whole time. She hated it when people called her Milady. Couldn't she just be Miss Granger again? She scowled the whole way to the atrium, irritated that she would have to waste her Saturday dress shopping. Everybody would be looking at her as such an upstanding figure and so she needed to outshine everyone else according to the rule book. She yanked a handful of floo powder from the pot and threw it into the hearth angrily before disappearing in a burst of green flames.

She stepped out of her own floo, determined to change out of her Ministry robes before flooing over to Grimmauld but she completely lost her train of thought when she saw a box waiting on the little coffee table in the lounge. She cautiously approached it, there was nothing suspicious about it at all, but then again, anyone could have put it there. She drew her wand and checked the box for any known curses or jinxes and yet it detected none. Shrugging, she tentatively brushed her fingers across the edge of the lid of the box and to her relief, she wasn't already howling in pain so no, the box was definitely not jinxed.

She opened the lid and looked inside to see a familiar pair of cream ballet flats, a pair she distinctly remembered leaving at the home of one Draco Malfoy after she abandoned said Draco Malfoy after a night of passionate sex with the same Draco Malfoy. She lifted the shoes out of the box as a small note floated to the ground, placing the shoes back in their rightful place in the shoe rack, she picked up the piece of parchment from the floor.

_Granger,_

_I think it's about time we had a little chat. You should know me well enough by now to know that I won't let this go._

_DM_

Bollocks. She was so in for it when he got hold of her again. Well, she would just have to make sure that that didn't happen then. Everything about the note screamed anger, she could practically hear him spitting out each word to her. He had referred to her as Granger, he didn't do that unless he was angry. His tone was formal and clipped, a tone she recognised all too well. She tossed the note into the bin and tried to calm her pounding heart and her fluttering stomach. This was definitely something she wasn't looking forward to.

OOO

Dress shopping was a disaster to begin with, she had searched every Wizarding dress shop she could possibly think of; Madam Malkin's, Twilfitt and Tatting's, even Gladrags but it was to no avail. Nothing particularly caught her eye or it was the wrong shape, wrong colour or was very expensive indeed. It wasn't until she took a quick lunch in one of Diagon Alley's new restaurants _Le Chat Noir _that the idea hit her. She had been busy thinking about her new law, wishing she had the day to continue working on it whilst the ideas were still fresh in her mind and then she realised, if she wanted to stand out, why not simply buy a dress from somewhere in Muggle London? That way she was already promoting connections between the two societies and she couldn't imagine why she hadn't thought of it before.

Looking through the dresses in the dress shops, even some of the bridal shops she couldn't help but remember the last time she had been dress shopping with her beloved Mother. They had picked out that perfect little white dress together and after the blood that had stained it, she had vowed never to wear it again yet she still kept it, whether to torture herself or simply keep it as a reminder she would never know.

By the time she had tumbled through the door of her house again at around four in the afternoon with aching feet and a short temper, she had finally found the dress she was looking for along with all of the accessories she would need. She groaned aloud when she realised that she had only three hours until Justin would arrive and so she jumped straight to getting ready.

Justin was right on time at 7pm sharp looking very dapper in his traditional dress robes with his hair styled lightly with gel. He came through the floo just as she had put the finishing touches to her appearance. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the lounge where he was waiting for her and when he turned to see her, his jaw dropped.

She was wearing a deep midnight blue satin, floor length dress. It was completely backless, with the only thing visible from her back being the two jewel encrusted straps that ran from under her arms to behind her neck. There were two cut out parts on either side of the dress, just above her waist baring even more of her creamy skin to the world. The pieces of satin covering her breasts were slightly ruffled and in addition there was a thigh length slit up the side, bearing a slender milky coloured leg on which sat a pair of strappy silver heels. It was completely out of her comfort zone but she thought to hell with it, the dress looked nice on the mannequin anyway. She had pinned half of her hair back into an elegant knot while leaving the other half curling down her bare back falling about halfway down. She had gone for a smoky eyes look although it was not too overdone with a thick liner and a hint of dark grey eye shadow. Her lips were glossed in a pale pink and from her ears hung silver dangly earrings which matched the jewels on her dress. She thought she had quite outdone herself this time and apparently Justin thought so too.

"You look beautiful Hermione." He gasped.

"You don't look so bad yourself." She smiled coyly before Justin offered his arm to her and they stepped through the floo together. She knew Justin wanted this to be as though it were a real date but she simply wouldn't allow it, she worked with Justin for Merlin's sake, if anything went wrong it could damage their business relationship. Besides, she wasn't sure that going into a relationship of any sorts would be a good idea right now. Not that she didn't want it, just that she couldn't have it. Not with the person she truly wanted it to be with.

* * *

The gala was being held at Theo's ancestral home. It was a rather grand house with an elaborate ballroom and lavish decorations but it still didn't help to appease Hermione. She just wanted to get out of here and be on her way. In the centre of the room was a polished beige marble area of flooring which was designated for the dancers which was currently full of people mingling as they held their champagne glasses in their empty hands. The ceiling was housed many grand crystal chandeliers which sparkled in each other's light. All around the dance floor there were round tables, each housing six plush chairs with an exotic bouquet of wildflowers in the centre and spaced out evenly amongst the room were decorative French marble columns which provided the room with an extra little bit of grandeur.

"Justin, Hermione. I'm pleased to welcome you to my home, do enjoy yourselves." Theo said politely as he shook Justin's hand and kissed Hermione's dutifully. He looked rather weary truth be told, the mischievous twinkle in his eyes had long been extinguished and his crude sense of humour had seemingly vanished overnight. She worried for her friend, perhaps the pressures of being the Minister for Magic were getting to him, despite the fact that Justin and herself had tried so hard to lessen his burden and workload. He wouldn't have any of it now, beforehand he would always try and sneak his work onto Hermione's desk, now he refused to share it with anyone. Curious behaviour indeed.

She had immediately spotted her red-haired friend and steered Justin towards her, where she stood beside her famed husband. Ginny looked particularly fetching in her choice of attire, she had opted for a dark emerald coloured taffeta dress with a bateau neckline that shimmered as she moved. It had a girdled waist which was completed by an ornate and rather antique looking beaded sash. The back was v shaped, only revealing a hint of her pale flawless skin and her hair was neatly tamed in a twist towards the nape of her neck, with some curly red tendrils framing her face.

"'Mione, is that you? You look positively gorgeous!" Ginny exclaimed, waltzing over to Hermione and planting customary kisses on her cheek.

"Not as half as good as you look Ginny, that dress is rather splendid." Hermione remarked.

"Yes but yours is divine. Where on Earth did you find it?" Ginny asked taking a modest sip of champagne with her attention on Hermione.

"Muggle London, in a local dress shop. It was my saviour, I'd had absolutely awful luck trying to find one anywhere in Diagon Alley."

"I agree with you there, the real beauties come from the unknown designers." Ginny winked. At that moment Justin reappeared and handed Hermione a glass of champagne which she gratefully accepted, despite the fact that she absolutely despised the taste of it. Alcohol was alcohol and she was sure she was going to need a lot of it to get herself through tonight.

"How is little James?" Hermione asked.

"He misses you. Too used to seeing you around I should think, he crawls into the library every now and again and plops himself down before your favourite armchair."

Hermione smiled. James would be the closest thing to a child she would ever have so she took every opportune moment to spend time with him.

"Yes, he's started teething now. Godric knows which hour he'll wake us up at next." Ginny groaned. "Although Harry doesn't mind, he loves James more than anything."

The orchestra began to play a slightly upbeat yet classical melody that reminded Hermione much of the Yule Ball all those years ago. The socialisers cleared off the dance floor to make way for the couples who were making their way out. Harry interrupted the two.

"Wow, 'Mione, you look breathtaking." Harry remarked. "Remind me to steal a dance from you later, right now though would you do me the honour, Mrs Potter?" Harry held out his hand for Ginny who winked at Hermione cheekily before allowing Harry to guide her to the centre of the room where he gracefully began sweeping her across the floor, drawing the attention of most of the people who were sitting on the side lines.

She sat at the table Harry and Ginny had occupied beforehand, sipping on her champagne as she watched Harry dancing with Ginny. He had eyes for nobody else, which she thought was endearing, Merlin knows they both deserved something good in their lives, especially Harry. As she watched she had several people, most of whom she didn't even know approach her and spew the same old garbage. '_You're looking lovely Lady Undersecretary.'_ Or '_Ah, milady I've been looking all over for you_.' She just wanted to scream at them to leave her alone, she hated these pointless functions. It was politics disguised by music and fancy dresses.

Justin seemed to sense her agitation from the conversation he was currently having a few metres away. Her grip on her glass was dangerously tight and so he decided to intervene.

"Forgive me Gilbert, however I would like to borrow Ms Granger for a dance."

"Of course. Milady." He bowed slightly and she felt her glass was about to shatter if she wasn't careful. The man was rambling aimlessly about his disastrous experiments which she had no desire to listen to in her irritable mood.

"Come on my little lion, it'll keep them away from you for a little while at least." He offered his hand to her and she drained the rest of her champagne, cringing at the awful taste before slamming her glass to the table. He put his full one down beside her empty one as he prepared to take her up to dance, however she simply reached for his and drained that one in a flash before finally slipping her hand into his own.

He walked her up to the dance floor and spun her around before pulling her up against him. A little too close for her liking, however it was either this or listen to people she didn't even know rabbiting on about their woes. She placed her hand on his shoulder and joined her other one with his however his free hand lingered on the bare skin of her back and she shifted uncomfortably before they began twirling together in synchronisation. Justin wasn't the best dancer out there, but he was rather adequate. Some of his moves were a little uncoordinated and he didn't tread on her toes by accident although, there was the odd occasion where they would both try to move in the opposite directions and look like complete idiots and yet she didn't care less.

After a few dances, Hermione excused herself from Justin and sauntered over to the refreshments table where she snagged another glass of champagne. She didn't even like champagne, but this was what these silly events drove her to do. She knew she really should be watching what she was drinking, yet she simply couldn't bear to tolerate such insufferable people who evidently sneered down at her because of her youth and inexperience. She hid behind one of the columns when she saw Madam Edgecombe asking after her. She wished Theo would just hurry the hell up so she could make whatever unnecessary speech he needed her to make so she could put an end to this bloody catastrophe.

She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand on her shoulder and whizzed around to see Ginny chuckling in amusement.

"What're you doing lurking back here?" She giggled.

"Hiding." Hermione muttered glumly.

"Who from?" Ginny asked curiously.

"Everyone, they're just intolerable people and I'm really very irritable." She remarked before taking another generous sip of her champagne.

"I think you've had enough of that for one night now, Hermione." Ginny said firmly, slipping the glass from Hermione's grip causing her to whimper at the loss of her drink.

"You can never have enough to drink at these functions." Hermione muttered.

"Well I'll be off, it seems Malfoy is heading in this direction and boy he doesn't look pleased." Ginny grinned evilly and scuttled off, with Hermione's drink. Damn that girl.


	32. Chapter 32

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Another lemon in this chapter. It'll be the last for a bit, otherwise it'll get too boring! Plus I still have lots and lots of plot to cover. _

* * *

**_Chapter XXXII_**

Before Hermione could even contemplate making a dash for it, a hand had curled around her wrist and she was looking up into the silvery eyes of Draco Malfoy. Holy shit and fuck. This would not end well.

"Can I help you Malfoy?" She asked resignedly.

"As a matter of fact, you can Granger." He remarked and before she knew what was happening, he was tugging her by her wrist and behind the stream of pillars until they were outside of the ballroom and away from prying eyes. His eyes raked down her form, he didn't know whether to be very aroused at her astounding figure in that dress or absolutely livid at the fact that she was showing so much skin. Skin that only he could see, skin that only he could touch.

"What the hell are you wearing Granger?" He growled.

"It's called a dress Malfoy, I'm sure you're familiar with it?" She muttered sardonically.

_Familiar enough to know where to zipper is. Yes._ He thought.

"Indeed I am sweetheart, and although you like positively edible dressed like this, I'd prefer it if it were only for my viewing pleasure." He whispered as he nuzzled her neck, inhaling the sweet scent of vanilla that was Hermione Granger. "You know Granger, I was rather disappointed when I woke up last Saturday morning to see that you'd scampered off before we could have another go."

"I had to go." She said shakily as his hand cupped her cheek and trailed down her neck. "Please stop it, we can't do this."

"That's not what you were saying last week Granger. You were practically begging for it." He snarled.

"I couldn't do it. Don't you get it?! It's hard to tell myself no when I'm so close to you, it was my weakness and eventually my undoing." She admitted.

"So why did you run away like a little cowardly Hufflepuff?" He mocked. She scowled, being called a Hufflepuff was very insulting to her Gryffindor pride.

"That's exactly it, I was scared. You don't understand, I'd never been intimate with anybody before, this was all new to me and I couldn't help but shake the feeling that I was merely a conquest and it was based purely on physical attraction."

"You know there's more to it than that. Speaking of Hufflepuffs by the way, I don't appreciate the way you let Finch-Fletchley touch you. I don't like to share."

"I'm not yours to be sharing." She replied defiantly. "Please stop this Draco, it's too difficult to bear." She whimpered.

"You see, it's the same pain as mine." He said placing her hand over his heart. "It's proof you feel the same way."

"Perhaps, but you know we can't allow this to happen. I've told you why we cannot do this, my duty to my country and regards for my own safety as well as yours exceeds the need for the fulfilment of personal desires."

"We managed it once and yet we still both stand here today perfectly unharmed. You must understand that I feel very strongly for you, you're not going to be rid of me. Not while I know you want this too."

"And how do you suggest we stop details of a supposed relationship between the two of us from getting out? People will always find out. We couldn't go anywhere without the possibility of being caught."

"Like I suggested the first time, sweetheart. We keep it a secret." He replied, kissing each of her knuckles. Her resistance was wearing away quickly and she feared she may not be able to turn away from him this time. "Just think about it, I can be your dirty little secret Granger, doesn't the prospect of it being so forbidden entice you so?"

Hell yes. But that didn't make it right. Her breathing quickened as be backed her up against the wall, trapping her between his arms. His breathing was also heavy with desire and it seemed to almost echo loudly in the hallway. She was simply glad that nobody was around to witness their little encounter, after all it was simply incriminating although the thought of it being so wrong definitely did make her want it more. It was going against how everyone thought her to be, she wasn't a goody-goody, she would have her own dirty secret. Besides, how much longer would she really be able to hold out if he kept cornering her like this? She knew it wouldn't be for too much longer since her resistance against him was already weak so why not take a risk for once? Merlin knows it would be worth it.

He began planting airy kisses up the side of her neck. "You know I love you, Granger. Physical attraction is only the tip of the iceberg with you." He whispered. She clenched her fists at her side to stop herself from weaving her fingers through his hair and scream to the world that she loved him too. "And I'm going to take you home to the Manor – and fuck you 'til you can't walk straight – and in the morning - you're still going to be there when I wake up." He declared between kisses. Her mouth hung open and she began breathing raggedly whilst a surge of wetness dampened her panties. That was it, no more precautions, she was going to take what she wanted and she was going to bloody well enjoy it.

She grabbed his tie and used it to pull him so his face was hovering only inches away from hers. "I don't have time to leave dammit, Theo wants me to make some sort of speech. So make it quick Draco, and make it good."

"As you wish Milady." He smirked before pushing her fully against the wall and attacking her lips with his own. His groin was already standing to attention, but it could only be expected when she was dressed as she was, offering herself to him. He would be crazy to even think about trying to resist. He pried her lips apart with soft swipes of his tongue and gentle bites and when she gave in, he plunged his tongue into her mouth. His hand trailed down to her exposed thigh and he lifted it and pulled it around his waist, pushing his centre closer to hers.

"First things first Granger," He began as he hooked his arm around her second leg and lifted her up so her legs were curving around his waist whilst giving her a little extra height so he didn't have to bend down to kiss her. "This relationship is entirely exclusive, I don't want to see Finch-Fletchley or anybody for that matter looking at you or touching you. You belong to me and me alone." He growled assertively.

She nodded her head quickly. "I expect the same from you, I don't like to be messed about by anybody, especially people I put my trust in. If you screw about, it's over indefinitely. Got that?"

"I would expect no less of you." He grinned devilishly before hiking her dress up around her waist and rubbing himself against her. She whimpered in need and he silenced her with another kiss. "Now sweetheart, you might want to keep it down. After all, there's a room full of I'd say about 300 guests right in there. Wouldn't want them to interrupt us now would you?"

"The longer we stay out here, the more likely it is we'll be interrupted. You can drag it out all you want later, just hurry, before the announcements start." She whispered harshly.

"Is that a promise?" He raised an eyebrow wickedly.

"If you want it to be."

He may not take things slowly this time, but he was going to make her want to scream before he let her go. He pushed her knickers to the side allowing him access to her core. She was throbbing with need and it ached, she ached to be touched, to be filled by him. He teasingly swiped a finger through her drenched folds making her face screw up in delicious agony. He slowly pushed a finger inside of her causing her to throw her head back against the wall, teeth clamping down on her lip painfully to stop herself from mewling.

He curved his finger inside her and applied alternating amounts of pressure to the sweet spot inside her channel. She began uncontrollably rocking her hips to meet his fingers, the heel of his palm grazing the little bundle of nerves as he thrust his fingers making her thrash and long to cry out in pure need.

From the next room they could hear the pinging of a glass being tapped signalling the start of the announcements in the ballroom. The room fell silent making it even more crucial that Hermione keep her voice below a whisper at all times which was becoming increasingly harder to do with each stroke inside of her. The urgency of the moment seemed to have an effect on her and she began to feel the familiar tightening in her abdomen. She was getting closer, reaching her peak at an ever increasing pace, her walls began clenching in preparation…and then he withdrew his hand, making her almost scream in sexual frustration.

She immediately began clawing at his belt, hastily trying to pull it open before pushing down his trousers and boxers roughly, freeing him from the constraints of his clothing. She curled her fingers around the tip of his member, realising it was the first time she had actually touched anyone in such a way. She could tell by the way he looked that he liked her touch and so she daringly pumped him a few times before she could no longer feel the coil of pleasure that had built up. In haste, she had quickly positioned him at her entrance and removed her hand just in time for him to thrust in. Her head dropped back against the wall again, with her mouth wide open and her eyes closed as she reacquainted herself with the feeling of being stretched.

It was not nearly as painful as it had been on her first time and she was more than glad for it. Even without moving, he was touching all of the right spots and she could feel herself clench involuntarily which seemed to ignite a burning fire within him as he drew himself out and pushed in again forcefully. He was trying everything not to let himself go at that moment and was glad momentarily that they needed to be quick.

He began carefully moving inside of her, despite the urge of forcefully slam himself into her over and over again, since he didn't quite know how sore she might possibly be. It was only her second time after all and he didn't want to hurt her. There would be time for that later. He was unsure of who might be making the speech in the ballroom but it sounded much like Theo who was giving the opening.

He pulled her head into a desperate kiss where he groaned into her mouth, trying to stifle his own noises as well as her little whimpers so nobody heard them. He'd be damned if he let anyone interrupt them now. She broke away shortly after, gasping for breath as quietly as she could manage, even though '_quiet'_ meant that she drew little air into her lungs which were burning in protest.

"Harder." She whispered shakily before burying her face into the crook of his neck where he could feel her hot moist breath at rapid intervals. He began slamming into her at an unrelenting pace so that the tip of him hit her cervix. Each time he went to withdraw himself he felt her walls trying to pull him back in, driving him mad with sensations. He shifted himself slightly so that now with each thrust his pubic bone was rubbing against her little bud causing her to smack a hand over her mouth as she whimpered, her hips meeting his thrust for thrust. The previous coil she had felt tightening had returned with a vengeance and its power had increased tenfold. She wasn't going to be able to keep quiet.

"You're never leaving me like that again. Say it, say you won't leave me again." He growled through gritted teeth as he strained against her, his eyes darkening into the threatening black as he recalled his anger and hurt.

"Never - never leave you." She panted. "I'm yours – only you."

She heard the roar of applause coming from the ballroom and luckily for her it coincided with an explosion of pleasurable sensations racking her body. Glad for the sound of applause and not caring who might hear, she let out a scream of ecstasy as her inner walls clenched pleasurably leaving her utterly spent. After a few more thrusts as the applause died down, he followed her and found his own release with a muffled groan into her neck as he spurted his seed into her welcoming channel, coating her with his essence.

Their erratic breathing was all the sound that filled the air for a moment as they allowed themselves to come to their senses once more. His head was still rested in the crook of her neck and he was still buried inside of her to the hilt. That was no doubt the best orgasm of his life, so far at least. He was expecting to have many, many more with this special witch.

"Holy fucking shit." She panted, watching as his eyes turned back into the usual grey.

"I know." He grinned before withdrawing himself from her, watching her bite her lip as he did. "Not planning on running off then?" He teased.

"No, I made a promise which I firmly intend to keep." She whispered as he gently dropped her legs to the floor leaving her shaking and unstable. She supported herself on his arm and felt a gush from between her legs as their mixed fluids ran down her thighs. He muttered a quick _Scourgify_ on them both before placing himself back under the restraints of his trousers.

"Good. You're mine now Hermione. All mine." He said as he kissed her forehead.

"Yes, but even better, you're all mine." She replied. "How are we going to get back in? They'll all notice us. Especially you, since you're wearing half of my lip gloss." She laughed and raised up a finger and swiped it across his mouth, trying to remove any evidence of her being there. "Did you leave any marks on me again?" She asked.

"No. Why would you like me to?" He nudged her playfully.

"I don't really mind, as long as I know about them beforehand. Last time I had to face the Ginny Potter Inquisition as to who I was with."

"Did you tell her?"

"Accidentally, but she thinks I'm not going back to you. That's the way I'd like to keep it. Nobody can know, I'm not putting you in danger."

"I think it would be more important that I not put you in danger. As for getting back in, we'll cast a disillusionment charm until we get behind the columns and we'll slip out slowly."

"You really do have a lot of experience sneaking around, don't you?"

"Slytherin." He winked.

They clung together as he cast the disillusionment charm around them both and they began walking back into the ballroom. It felt so odd since she could see everyone, and yet they couldn't see her. Despite this she still felt mortified, still feeling as though they could actually see Draco and herself wandering back into the ballroom together. The ducked behind one of the columns as Theo was still addressing his guests.

"I need to get back to Justin, can you see him?" Hermione asked. His eyes darkened for a moment. "No, it's not like that. Don't worry, we're just friends." She calmed him, placing both of her hands on either side of his face. "It's only you Draco." He visibly relaxed and kissed her palm before she withdrew them. "We're going to need to make a speech and I want to see if Theo has spoken with him."

"He's over there, by your table with the Potters." He pointed out the table where he had watched her sitting all night, sitting irritably whilst a string of people approached her. "You won't be able to just reappear over there, it's too risky. Do it here and slip around the edge of the column so nobody notices you. I'll move to the other side of the room." He muttered and took the disillusionment charm off her. "I'll find you before you leave, you're coming home with me." He whispered brazenly.

She nodded her head dumbly while trying to ignore the fluttering of her stomach when he spoke so boldly to her. She reached out into where he was standing and felt the empty air until her hand landed on his forearm. "You know...I love you too." She whispered before he placed a sweet and chaste kiss to her lips. She was finally his, he had triumphed. Now all he had to do was keep her which would be all the more difficult.

She slipped gradually around the column unnoticeably to the others who were keenly listening to Theo's speech to which Hermione wasn't paying attention. She was busy glancing around the room to see if she could see Draco reappear around one of the columns. At the first sighting of platinum blond hair she turned away, quickly catching Ginny's eye in the process. Ginny stood up and made her way through the crowd to stand next to her.

"So, where were you then?" She smirked.

"I was just in the hall." She said dismissively, passing it off as though it were nothing. And yet the realisation had hit her that she had just shagged Draco Malfoy in the Minister's ancestral home. She really was a terrible woman.

"Uh huh, so what did Malfoy want then?"

"Oh, he wanted to know why I ran out on him like I did and I told him we couldn't do it. He of course put up some resistance and I simply told him no." She affirmed.

"So that's why you look thoroughly snogged then?"

Hermione blanched. Curse Ginny and her perceptive eye. "He tried to convince me."

"And…?" Ginny asked hopefully.

"And I said no, Gin. I told you, we weren't supposed to do it the first time so I wasn't about to let it happen again." She said firmly.

"Well, you missed out on a good opportunity there, 'Mione, imagine all of the delectable shags you could have been having." Ginny sighed wistfully.

Hermione didn't reply to her friend and thought not of all the shags that she _could_ be having, but all of the shags she most definitely _would _be having, and if they were anything like what had just occurred in the hallway then she was in for a hell of a ride.

"…And finally, I'd like to make special thanks to two of my dearest co-workers, without whom I wouldn't be in the position I'm in today. Please put your hands together for my First Advisor, Mr Finch-Fletchley and the Senior Undersecretary, Miss Granger." Theo finished. The sound of her own name snapped her out of her thoughts as everyone around her turned towards her and began to clap for her and cheer her name. So this was why Theo wanted her here. She smiled slightly and began making her way towards the mezzanine where Theo was addressing the crowd. She met Justin at the base of the stairs and picked up her skirt as they ascended them together.

They didn't reach the top.

There was a whoosh of warm air from somewhere behind her followed shortly by a wave of razor shards of glass from the window which whizzed straight towards herself and Justin. Justin noticed this quickly and pulled Hermione by her wrist, tugging her forcefully out of their path before shielding her with his own body.

Multiple guests from the crowd jumped up to rush to their Lady's aid however they were quickly stopped in their tracks when through the broken window a menacing fiendfyre swept into the ballroom. It took the form of a deadly snake, and its hiss was amplified by the crackling and roaring of the fire beast as it consumed the ballroom.

The smarter guests began running for the doors before Gawain Robards could even think about ordering a hasty evacuation. The Aurors were rounded up and began trying to contain the beast that continued to devour Theo's grand ballroom, engulfing everything in its path. Those who weren't so smart, like Harry, Ginny and Draco worried too much for the safety of Hermione who was separated from them by the flaming body of the serpent as it slithered its way through the ballroom, leaving a wall of fire and ash in its wake.

When Justin had pulled Hermione to safety behind himself, he had no time to think of his own wellbeing and as a result the glass embedded itself into the one half of his body which was exposed. He cried in pain as the force of the glass sent him falling backwards in pain, accidentally taking Hermione with him. She hit her head with a sickening thud on one of the marble stairs as Justin struggled to pull the shard of glass from his left eye, howling in pain the whole time.

The stairs where Hermione and Justin lay were inaccessible to the three of them as they dashed up the opposite set of stairs, trying to avoid the fiery serpent as it viciously fought the Aurors who were trying to contain it. Harry saw the Minister on the floor, there was an angry burn on his leg and he was crawling across the floor towards where Hermione and Justin were supposed to greet him.

"Potter! Justin and Hermione, you have to get them!" Theo yelled panicked, trying to haul himself in their general direction. Harry hauled him up over his shoulders to stop him putting pressure on his wounded leg.

"Potter, get him out of here now!" Draco ordered feeling the mezzanine rumbling unsteadily.

"No, Hermione's still over there! I'm not leaving Ginny either!" He replied.

Draco swallowed hard. "The Minister's life is more important than hers, the longer you stand here dawdling the more likely it is we're all going to die. Get out, Ginny will go with you."

"To hell I will! My best friend's over there." Ginny screeched.

"If you don't I'll carry you out there myself which will only waste time while I could be saving Hermione. Just go, this mezzanine is going to collapse!"

"You make sure you get her. Or else." Harry said threateningly before grabbing Ginny's hand and hastily running towards the stairs. "I'll be back!" He heard the distant yell as he sprinted towards the other stairs behind the wall of fire. Hermione was lying motionlessly on the stairs with blood pooling beneath her head whilst Justin was tugging a particularly large shard of glass out of his eye. Just looking at it as the object was yanked out of his eye made Draco's eyes water as blood began streaming out of Justin's eye as he grunted in pain.

He wasted no time and offered his hand to Justin who's robes were shredded and bloody with the glass that was lodged in his skin, he hauled him to his feet.

"Can you stand?" He asked urgently.

"I'll manage." Justin affirmed as Draco lifted Hermione into his arms bridal style with her blood matted locks spilling over his arm which protectively cradled her head. The staircase below them was destroyed before them as the serpent tore through the marble, shattering it easily before continuing up towards the ceiling, leaving a gaping hole in the roof. The mezzanine rumbled again and so with his lover in his arms and Justin at his side, they hobbled across the mezzanine as quickly as they could, heading for the more stable set of stairs on the opposite side.

They almost tripped down the stairs as they hurried off the rumbling mezzanine which was on the verge of collapsing behind them as the remnants of the fire still burned on. At the base of the stairs, Harry had found his way back to them minus one wife and the Minister. He cringed at the bloodied Justin before him and wrapped an arm underneath Justin's arm to support him as they all made for the exit. Even the Aurors had left by this time, the dark magic in the fire was too strong for them to control and they had wisely fled before they too were engulfed by the angry flames.

As soon as they were outside and at a safe distance in the gardens of the Minster's home, he laid Hermione on the ground and began to heal her quickly. The cut on her head wasn't too deep thankfully but the impact on the stone had knocked her out cold. The adrenaline was pounding in his veins and his wand hand was shaking as he tried to heal her, he couldn't lose her not after he just got her. With an experimental _Rennervate_, he was again gazing into those warm brown eyes that he had learned to love and had to resist the urge to smother her with kisses. He backed away from her reluctantly and let Harry and Ginny take the role of the obsessing and smothering.

He followed the gaze of all the others in the crowd, tilting his head towards the sky he saw it. The Dark Mark was flaming in the sky, as strong as ever with the fire serpent writing a message in the darkness before circling the skull of the Mark. Across the sky in bold, fiery letters read: _We will not relent._

Theo, shrouded by the darkness of the night allowed the corner of his lips to twitch into what could be classed as a smile which was laced with malevolent pleasure. His plan was falling into place as this would forever be remembered as the day when the Second Wizarding War truly began.


	33. Chapter 33

_____**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_____Hey guys, so we've got another major time jump now, I just really couldn't be bothered to write three years worth of war so yeah. I'm lazy but I'm skipping to where stuff happens! ;3_

* * *

**_Chapter XXXIII_**

_Three Years Later – January 2002_

Hermione was sitting in her office, thoroughly going over each of the Minister's papers. It wasn't something she would normally be allowed to do since he was very fussy over who was allowed to access such private documents, even in the high station that she was, she would only be given limited access to documents that only Theo would want her to see. He was pushing her and Justin out and had been since his ascendancy to Minister for Magic for reasons she could not explain. The only reason that she had access to these documents right now was because the Ministry – albeit unknowingly – was about to fall into a state of emergency.

The Minister, one Theodore Nott hadn't returned from his trip which he had taken to review the opening of the Orders latest base. By no means was it their primary base of operations, only people with a high enough clearance within the Order could get into that one. No, this was a relatively low key base which had been erected in York to manage the Death Eater uprisings in the North. They had swelled in size over the three years of the war so far as the number of activists and sympathisers increased, joining forces with the Death Eaters and their new and elusive leader, Lucius Malfoy. The Order too had grown with their fair share of supporters. They had become allies with the Ministry to combat the Death Eaters who unfortunately, were still at large and wreaking havoc through Wizarding Britain.

The Minister was supposed to have been gone for 2 days at the most and was to have returned yesterday. They had let the day pass thinking that perhaps he might return in the night after hours and they would receive word or see him the next day but they didn't. Hermione became quickly worried when she knocked on the door to the Minister's office that morning and didn't find him as she normally did, sitting at his desk doing paperwork or conducting his daily meeting with one of the leaders of the war effort, she started to panic.

She had tried to floo the new base from her office and they had regretfully informed her that the Minister nor his entourage had never arrived at the base as expected. In panic, she had sent a Patronus to Oliver Wood, and one to Arthur Weasley, the two who had been assigned by Lupin to escort Theo as he reviewed the base. She waited for four hours and still she had not received word from any of them and this was when she had decided to contact the Order. She had dropped everything she was doing and ran down the polished black tiled floor towards Justin's office. She pounded on the door rapidly and tapped her foot impatiently whilst Justin answered his door.

The door opened and he smiled at her. What once used to be a dazzling smile quickly became forceful as Justin's reasons for happiness had become fewer and fewer since the war had started. After what had happened in Theo's home at the gala just before the war had begun, Justin had gone blind in one eye since the shard of glass had become wedged too deeply and had done irreparable damage. Hermione would always feel guilty when she looked at Justin's eye, or saw how he struggled to walk about since his vision wasn't as good as what it once was despite the fact that he had assured her on multiple occasions that he would do it again if it meant keeping her safe. The healers at St Mungo's had managed to restore the appearance of his eye, making it look as though nothing were wrong so only few people knew of his impairment.

"Ah, my little lion. What can I do for you?" He asked, opening the door wider allowing her access to his office. She stepped inside and shut the door behind her.

"Justin, something's wrong. Theo isn't back yet and I haven't heard from Oliver or Arthur." She said.

"Perhaps they had to extend their trip, I'm pretty sure they have good reason not to be back on time." He reassured her.

"No Justin, I floo-called the base, they said that he never arrived. I will send a Patronus to Lupin and see if he has had word."

"If it will comfort you then by all means." He gestured. "However I'm sure it's just a little mix up."

"Justin, I wouldn't be worried if it were nothing. He was supposed to return yesterday, all of his documents have been landing on my desk. I don't think Theo would leave if it meant I took over on his work, do you?"

"I suppose not. Contact Lupin, we'll see what he has to say about things."

Hermione left Justin's office promptly, he didn't seem to understand how worried she was. This was very unlike Theo yet she was the only one who seemed to take notice. She cast her Patronus to Lupin and watched the little silver otter wrinkling its nose, standing up on two legs as she whispered her message to it before sending it on its way. It fell back onto all fours and began bounding through the air, leaving a little silver trail in its wake before heading down to the front desk.

"Sophie." She called her secretary.

"Yes Milady?" Huffed Sophie Roper, her recently appointed secretary as she immediately put the phone down to turn her attention to her boss. She flipped her beach blonde hair over her shoulder before smacking her overly glossed lips together and staring at Hermione. In all honesty, Hermione found the woman incredibly irritating, she acted like a little trollop around the Ministry and Hermione had absolutely no idea why Theo had hired her. Well, perhaps she had _some_ idea.

"I need you to go down to the Atrium and bring the Order representatives up to Mr Finch-Fletchley's office once they arrive."

"Of course, Milady." She said and stood up sloppily before hurrying off in the direction of the lifts. _Stupid tart. _Hermione wanted to call after her, but she held her tongue knowing that she was above such frivolities. She turned on her heel and marched back into Justin's office, waiting for her visitors.

OOO

"What do you mean 'he never arrived', Granger?!" Yelled Draco at the infuriating woman sitting across the table.

"Hey! That's Milady to you Malfoy, and don't talk down to me." She backfired.

"Is there any other meaning of 'he never arrived' Mr Malfoy?" Justin inquired. "I think it's time for us to raise the alarm. The Minister isn't back and neither of us have heard from Wood or Weasley."

"No! We can't raise the alarm." Harry protested.

"Why?" Hermione and Justin both asked.

"I'm with Potter on this one. If we let it slip that the Minister is missing then the whole Ministry will fall into anarchy. Think about it, there will be a question as to who will take over as Minister and although the position should rightly fall to Granger, there will be many contenders who will try to overthrow her in this moment of weakness."

"Exactly, think about this. What if the Death Eater resistance caught wind of this? Declaring the Minister missing could give them enough incentive to take the Ministry." Harry said solemnly.

"What if someone out there has information on Theo's whereabouts? How will they even know that he's missing if we don't make an appeal for information?" Said Justin.

"I think it's too risky a move to make." Harry decided.

"How will we find him then Mr Potter!? You tell me!" Justin shouted.

"Malfoy and I will begin our search for him, starting in the North. We can't risk this getting out, imagine if Lucius got wind of this. There'd be a chance that he got the Minister before we did."

"And how do you know that he doesn't already have him?" Hermione asked.

All eyes in the room turned to her. "Don't talk like that Hermione." Justin urged her.

"What? It's a possibility isn't it? Look, we'll try to keep it quiet for as long as we can but we need you to be fast and find him. It won't take long for someone to notice that something is wrong when the Minister starts missing his appointments." She dismissed them.

"Oh yes, your job is so difficult." Draco yawned sardonically causing Harry to nudge him.

"Well, why don't you get your arse out of here and do your job Malfoy, before you start telling me about mine." She hissed. His lip twitched in anger before Harry ushered him out of the room before Hermione visibly slackened.

"Don't worry about Malfoy, we all know he's a prat but we have to abide him if we want to get Theo back. Besides, you can't deny that he's a ruddy good fighter."

"Yes well, that might be so but he's impossible." She retaliated. "Look, forgive the intrusion, I've took up enough of your time already Justin, I'll be going back to my own office." She sighed.

"You know I'll always have time for you Hermione." He smiled and she nodded in acknowledgement before slipping out of the room and making her way back down the polished tile floors where there was nobody about and the sound of her small heels clicking on the tiles echoed through the hallways. She arrived back at her office and opened the door, shuffling in silently before exhaling deeply.

Before she could comprehend what was happening next, an arm was curled firmly around her waist pulling her into a solid body against the wall. She smiled before wrapping her arms around his neck and placing her lips on his in abandon. Their mouths battled furiously with an increasing passion as the two lovers reconciled.

"I had a feeling you'd wait for me here." She smiled coyly after breaking away from his mouth for a breath. His beautiful silver eyes were closed and his forehead was pressed against hers, his hands keeping her in place.

"I know you said not to, but I missed you too much." He replied. They had been apart for many nights now and it had been unbearable for the both of them. She clutched the front of his robes into tight fists before latching her lips onto his once more. She revelled in his closeness once more and tried to stop herself from crying with joy at seeing her wizard once more. It was good to finally let her mask slip since she had been wearing one for years to try and hide her true emotions. So far it was working and the whole façade that herself and Draco upheld whilst in public fooled everyone. Nobody would ever know that they were two people, promised to one another and still desperately in love despite the terrible goings on about them.

They had discussed marriage for a long time which had been a result of Draco's possessiveness over her. He had taken a strong disliking to Justin after observing the way he acted towards _his_ witch and he didn't like it one bit. He stared too long for his own liking as if she were something to be devoured and ravished which of course she was, but not by Justin Finch-Fletchley. He had wanted her to be his in every single way but there were obvious risks that came with such a commitment, each of which she had pointed out repeatedly to him.

The main risk being that they would be in more danger of being discovered. They wouldn't be able to use rings if they did go through with the ceremony because people would immediately make the connection between them she had said even though he had been adamant that they didn't have to use rings if it comforted her. She wouldn't be able to change her last name to his which obviously she didn't have to do, but she wanted to, her jealous side wanted the world to know that the position of Mrs Draco Malfoy had already been filled.

After weeks of constant debating over the matter, they had both settled on being engaged secretly for the time being and they had agreed that they would be married as soon as the war was over and they would come out with their relationship. They were sick of hiding. Both of them had hoped that the war would be over shortly but they were both dismayed to find that two years after they had agreed to marry that the war was no closer to being over.

In fact things were getting worse and Draco was being forced to spend more time away from Hermione and for longer periods since he was made a leader of the war effort alongside Harry. The long periods of separation hurt them both but also strengthened the bond that they shared together. Their reconciliations were joyful and their goodbyes were heart-breaking, the little time that they had together was treasured and their time apart was barely endured.

Draco was only relieved that she was kept out of the fighting which had resulted in the deaths of many Order members and friends, even though she detested the fact that he and Harry were out there. It killed her when Draco came back injured. He didn't trust many healers nowadays since one healer started killing all of his injured patients, right in the Order's camps. It turned out that the Healer had been under the Imperius Curse, but if it happened once, it could happen again. So Draco left his healing to Blinky and their newest recruit Pinky who had been rescued once Draco had taken his Father's estate. Hermione would curl up to his side when he was injured and wouldn't ever leave until he was better again. Harry too had taken precautions; Ginny and James had been moved and kept hidden, knowing that they would be targeted to get to him, which he wouldn't allow. The only other people who knew of her location were Draco, Hermione and Mr and Mrs Weasley.

"When will you be back again?" She asked desperately feeling incredibly teary once again.

"I don't know, with the Minister missing it might be a while yet my love and we're still stuck with trying to find Lucius. You'd think as his son I'd be able to find him but as we already know, the man is as slippery as a barrel full of eels." He said dismally.

"It's been weeks now, I can't bear it." She whimpered.

"I'll be back, I always am." He reassured her. "It'll take much more than a Death Eater army to getting back to you." He grinned.

"Just be safe. You know I hate it when you're injured."

"Dearest, you hate it when anyone is injured."

"Yes but especially you, so make sure you come back without a scratch." She warned.

"Why? So you can do it instead?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Trust you to be thinking about that right now." She rolled her eyes.

"When am I not thinking about that? It's been rather lonely the past few weeks." He pouted.

"No way. Wasn't the Minister's house adventurous enough for you?"

"What if I said no?"

"Then I would say you have issues. You can wait until you come home properly, you need to learn that you can't have what you want all the time, Mister" She scolded playfully.

"It was worth a try. But regretfully, I have to go, our dear friend Potter will be wondering what's keeping me." He sighed and the happy mood she had been in instantly dampened. Her smile dropped and the fluttering of her heart was quelled. "Don't look at me like that, you know I don't want to go any more that you want me to." She nodded slightly and bit her lip as the tears started to flow again. She hated this feeling, as cliché as it sounded, it felt as though a part of her were actually lost when he went. Probably her sanity.

"Just make sure you come back to me, and soon." She sniffled before he traced his thumb over her lips before kissing her forehead tenderly.

"I promise. As soon as we get Theo back I'll make sure I come back. Make sure you kick some political arse whilst I'm gone." He grinned at her. He released his hold on her and made back for the door.

"Without a doubt." She affirmed. "I love you." She called out weakly after him although it came out as more of a whisper which was muffled by the closing of the door. She wiped away the remnants of her tears which didn't seem to end as per usual whenever Draco left again. She didn't like to be so clingy and over emotional but it was hard when there was the possibility that the moments they were sharing might be the last or that their last goodbye really was their last.

She shook her head and began laughing hysterically which echoed in her empty office and could probably be heard right the way down the hall. Her laughter quickly descended into frantic sobs and she buried her face into her hands as the tears continued streaming. She had become the very thing she had sworn not to be. She had told herself firmly many times she would never allow herself to become like how she had seen Ginny shortly after James' birth, it was the one thing she had been certain of and now here she was and she was in the same situation.

She was roaring with manic laughter at herself, reflecting on how foolish she had truly been back then and at the same time she was crying out of self-pity. How could she have been reduced to this? This was completely unlike her. Of course she loved Draco with all of her heart but was it right to have given herself to him so lightly. Thinking back to it, she barely put up much resistance, and what she did come up with was pretty half-hearted. Her little moment of hysteria had caused her stomach to churn in fear and she had managed to cry herself sick. She leapt off the floor and grabbed the rubbish bin from the corner of the room before expelling the contents of her stomach into the bin before wiping her mouth and crying again.

She just wanted the war to be over. Then she would have no more of these destructive thoughts and ridiculous bouts of misery when Draco was away. If only they could catch Lucius, then everything would be over. It was evident that he was the leader since Riddle had died and so if they could only take him out then the war would be in the bag for them.

OOO

After finishing at work that day, there had still been no word of Theo from anybody and a few people were wondering where the Minister had gone. Hermione had managed to convince some curious employees that Theo was away on business although much of her reasoning was feeble and people probably didn't believe her. She originally went back to her apartment from the Ministry before flooing over to the Manor that she shared with Draco but the whole day was playing on her mind.

There was no possible way that they could have extended their trip without contacting someone first. It was especially unlike Arthur since he had a whole family to worry about. Wait, perhaps she could ask Ginny if she had received word from her Father. Besides, she hadn't seen little James in a long while now since they had been moved into hiding. She shrugged out of her work robes and changed into a pair of jeans and a plain cotton blouse before stepping into the floo and disappearing in a green flash.

She stepped out of the fireplace and dusted herself off looking around the familiar yet cosy little Tudor style house that Ginny and James had been confined to. As can be expected, Ginny had been furious at the prospect of being holed up while everyone she loved and cared for were out there risking their necks in the war but Harry was adamant that his son be kept safe. Hermione did understand his reasoning, for if anything were to happen to Harry he wanted to make sure his only son had at least one surviving parent unlike himself.

"Ginny?" Hermione called out. There was a clattering from inside the boiler cupboard in the kitchen and the door flung open. Hermione rushed in to see Ginny curled up on the wooden shelf above the boiler amongst the towels as she clutched a particularly fidgety three and a half year old boy in her arms tightly.

"Oh 'Mione! It's only you. I was so scared." She breathed as she levitated James back onto the floor.

"Hermy!" James chirped gleefully as he toddled over excitedly into Hermione's waiting arms. She pulled the boy close and ruffled his messy raven hair. James was the closest thing that she would ever have to a child of her own and so she made sure she spent as much time as possible with him whenever she could. But seeing the way his eyes lit up when he saw her again made her feel guilty for having stayed away for so long. She loved James with all of her heart but it pained her that she would never be able to love a child of her own in the same way.

Ginny climbed clumsily out of the cupboard and planted her feet firmly on the floor before shutting the cupboard behind her. She steadied her breathing by placing a hand over her heart since she had sincerely believed that Hermione had been an intruder and as per usual she had hidden inside the cupboard like Harry had told her to do in the event that there ever was an intruder. It wasn't her own life she were scared for, but that of her precious boy who was wrapped in her best friends arms.

"Give your Aunt 'Mione a kiss James." She cooed sweetly and the boy in Hermione's arms pulled back from her before flashing her a toothy grin. His lips and chin were coated in his own dribble as he planted a big wet sloppy kiss on Hermione's mouth, his green eyes lighting up with delight. Hermione's heart ached, if only she could have a boy with grey eyes that sparkled when she looked at him. She shook the thoughts from her head wistfully and stood up to hug her friend. To say Ginny was looking awful would be an understatement.

The woman had been subjected to enough in recent times with the loss of three of her brothers. First Percy, then Fred and only a few months ago they had lost Charlie too. In addition to that, she constantly worried for the remainder of her family's wellbeing as well as her husbands while having to take care of a boisterous toddler and having to fear for his life in hiding. She looked washed out and pale. Her freckles stood out even more on her cheeks and her hair was thinning, she had lost weight and it seemed as though she had aged decades since the war had started although one thing that couldn't be broken was her spirit. She always had hope, she would always smile for the sake of her baby and she would never allow the war to break her emotionally despite the constant string of tragedies.

"Come sit down 'Mione." Ginny beckoned, walking back into the small, cozy lounge and planting herself into one of the squishy armchairs whilst Hermione took the opposite one. They watched as James toddled across the laminate flooring over to where his toybox lay, clapping his chubby little hands before throwing the lid off so that it crashed to the floor. He turned back to the two witches and slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Oopsy Mommy, oopsy." He exclaimed, looking over to Ginny.

"Oh no!" Ginny cried, putting on an excited voice for her baby. "Whatcha gonna do then James?"

"Pullit back?" James looked questioningly at his Mother who nodded enthusiastically. "Hermy, I gots car. Look Hermy, look! Car!" He squealed, discarding the lid to the toybox and clamping a little blue Ford Anglia before pattering over to Hermione's knees, rolling the car across the bumps of her legs.

"Gin, I need to ask you something." Hermione said solemnly as she picked up James who was still too intrigued by the little Ford Anglia model that he held in his hand to struggle against Hermione's touch. He relaxed into her hold as she began running her fingers through the wisps of raven hair smattered atop his head.

"Car, Hermy! Car!" He exclaimed.

"Yes James, car." She responded enthusiastically which caused him to giggle gleefully before she blew a raspberry on his chubby cheek.

"VROOM!" He shouted making his toy car roll over the expanse of her shoulder whilst he continued to make crashing noises.

"What is it 'Mione?" Ginny asked.

"Have you heard from your Father?"

Ginny's face paled. "No, usually he stops by with Mum at least once a week to check on me and James as well as all of these drastic security measures around this prison. Why, is something the matter?" She asked.

"Did you know that he was assigned to escort the Minister to the new Order base?"

"No…what new Order base? Hermione, what's going on?"

Hermione gulped. This might break Ginny even more, she could already see the fear dancing in the woman's eyes and it felt positively cruel. However, if Hermione herself were in Ginny's position then she would be wanting to know what was going on rather than have people lying to her and sugar coating things. And so it was with a heavy and regretful sigh that Hermione began to tell Ginny of the day's revelations.


	34. Chapter 34

___**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, another long chapter from yours truly. The usual thanks to all of my viewers and reviewers etc. Can you tell I'm not in the mood for AN's? ;3_

_Well, until next Saturday my lovelies. _

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**_Chapter XXXIV_**

Draco's eyes snapped open as he awoke from his vision. His ability to have such visions had proven useful in the war effort, although it was still a very rare occurrence. He shot up from the floor where he had collapsed into his vision, his brow was sweaty and he was panting heavily.

"Ah, welcome back to the land of the living." Harry chuckled but his smile quickly dropped when he noticed the alarmed look on Draco's face. He sat forward in his chair and frowned at Draco. "What's wrong mate, you passed out?"

"Vision." He gasped. Harry knew better than to take Draco's visions lightly ever since he had explained how he had had a vision about Hermione's attacker which had proved to be true. With a flick of his wand, Harry closed all of the doors and shut all of the blinds. Draco's ability was better off kept a secret and he only decided to tell those whom he trusted. Besides, the things he revealed might be valuable to eavesdroppers.

"What happened?" Harry asked seriously.

"Lucius and the Minister, I know where they are but I can't recognise the place." Draco frowned and shut his eyes as he tried to concentrate. It was uncanny, he was sure he had seen the place before but he couldn't put a finger on it.

"I knew Lucius would have him!" Harry exclaimed angrily. "That slimy, no-good-" He paused in his tracks. "Where are they? Is the Minister alright? What about Oliver and Arthur?" Harry bombarded Draco with questions and Draco was sure his head was spinning with the information. His visions could often be magically draining which was probably why they were so rare, but when they happened they were always significant. He was just happy that Hermione stayed out of his visions since they were always bad.

"I don't know. Theo is alright, I only got a glimpse of him and Lucius. It's more the place I'm wondering about." Draco pondered, placing his fingers on his temples racking his brain.

"Maybe I could help?" Harry suggested. Draco summoned a dish from the other side of the room before whipping out his wand and filling it with water. Harry watched in curiosity as Draco projected his memory into the water, almost like a pensieve, except he didn't have to submerge his head into the water and they could both see it. It was something that Harry had never seen before and he wondered where on Earth Draco learnt some of his tricks.

There was a lone abandoned looking house standing on a snowy hillside. It stood tall and menacing although it was weary with age and neglect. The shutters hung off the windows at odd angles to reveal the glass which was dusty, fractured or broken allowing a cold wind to rustle the tattered curtains that adorned the inside. The chimney was crooked and looked to be on its last legs with several chunks of brick missing and scattered about on the snowy ground around the house. A very eerie looking place indeed. Harry too sensed an uncanny familiarity about the building and he too was sure it was a place he had seen before. Harry looked from Draco and back to the image of the house which was rippling in the water, racking his brain whilst trying to search for where he had seen this place before but the desperation was getting to him and he couldn't quite place it.

Draco started laughing after a moment. "I know exactly where that is. Although I wonder what the hell Lucius is thinking by going there…" He trailed off. Harry stared at him confusedly.

"Well spit it out Malfoy, the sooner we get the Minister back, the sooner I can visit my son." He urged.

"Do you recall a certain fight which involved you slinging mud at my precious Pureblood self?" He joked and suddenly Harry's face lit up.

"Knights of Columbus, Malfoy! That's it, the Shrieking Shack! I never would've guessed!"

"I think that was the point." Draco muttered sardonically. "Now would you so kindly explain what a Columbus is?"

"It's a saying just forget about it. What are they doing there?" Harry pondered.

"Oh, they're having a tea party." Draco remarked which earned him a stern look from his bespectacled friend. "You asked. Now how about instead of sitting here like a couple of ponces, we actually go and check this out." He suggested.

"Okay, I'll go and get Lupin-" Harry started.

"No. Lucius isn't stupid, he'll be expecting an ambush so we'd be better off going alone."

"Why?"

"It'd be easier to go undetected. Just let Lupin know what we're doing but not where we're going, we can't botch this up if the Minister's life is at stake."

With a quick swish of his wand, a sliver stag leapt out of the end of Harry's wand and began galloping off through the wall and towards wherever Lupin might be.

"How are we going to go about this then?" Harry asked.

"It's obvious that Lucius isn't going to be there on his own you dimwit. What I don't understand is why he hasn't killed him yet, he's obviously got a motive for keeping him alive."

"We'll check him for any dark magic if we get him back." Harry assured him.

"_When_ Potter, not _if._" Draco corrected. "Now, do you still have that legendary invisibility cloak I hear so much about?"

OOO

They were both hit with a bout of nostalgia upon catching sight of the Shrieking Shack, Harry more so than Draco. All that flashed through his head were images of the scrawny and dirty looking Sirius, still clad in his Azkaban attire. How he missed his Godfather so. Life seemed so much simpler back in Third Year for the both of them. They were both still innocent children at the tender age of 13, on the verge of being thrust into a world that was completely beyond anything that either of them could've imagined. A world where many of their schoolmates, friends and family had been lost along the way, a world where the outcome of this conflict was no longer as clear as what it once was.

It seemed that the days back when the most playing thing on their minds would have been how to irritate the other or how to get their Transfiguration homework done on time was all trivial in comparison to the things that they now faced. It was odd, because the Shrieking Shack hadn't changed a single bit and yet everything around it was completely different. For one, if someone had told Draco back in Third Year when Potter had been slinging mud at him and his friends that he would be standing in the same spot many years on, friends with said Potter, fighting for the Order of the Phoenix and about to embark upon a mission in which he hoped to get his own back on his Father, he would've asked the misguided sod if he would share what he was smoking!

And yet, now they stood looking upon the same hillside, shrouded from the rest of the world by Harry's invisibility cloak. The sky was a deep blue as the sun had yet to grace them with its warmth and light. Why Draco had insisted that they come at such an unreasonable time was beyond Harry but he never doubted him for a minute. The irony was not lost on Harry that his childhood nemesis, the one who he had always sought to incriminate, the one he had always blamed for everything had turned out to be the wizard who he would eventually trust the life of his family as well as his own with in a heartbeat. In fact, he was the closest thing to a brother that Harry was sure he would ever have although he would never admit that out loud as neither of them were very comfortable doing the whole mushy friend thing. It was something that didn't need to be said aloud, they both knew where they stood with the other.

Draco made to start walking towards the shack but he felt the pull of the cloak behind him and so he stopped and turned to see that Harry wasn't moving. He was shaking his head as he stared through the fine material of the cloak towards the Shrieking Shack.

"What is it?" Draco asked, noting his partner's puzzled expression.

"I don't like it. It's too simple, too easy." He deliberated. "Check for wards. They would be your Father's." Harry urged him.

Draco closed his eyes and began attuning his senses to the magic around him. There was a feint buzz in the background however that particular magic was one he recognised from the powerful wards surrounding Hogwarts. No, if his Father had set up any wards around the Shack, they would be a lot more obvious to Draco since he could recognise his Father's magical signature with ease since it was very similar to his own after all. The area surrounding the house was void of any outstanding magical traces, nothing completely out of the ordinary at all.

"Nothing." Draco announced causing Harry to frown.

"Perhaps they're not here yet. After all, your vision could be further into the future, right?" He asked.

"I'm not sure, most of them have happened pretty quickly after I have the vision. I haven't managed to utilise it properly yet, first I need to find out what triggers them."

"What are we going to do? Is there a chance it could have been false?"

"No. Every vision I've ever had has been correct. I think they're in there."

"They can't possibly be, anyone could just wander in there!" Harry protested.

"Exactly, I think it's more of an act. Think about things for a minute, if there were any wards around the place it would be seen as unusual and so people would become more suspicious of the place. However without the wards it's drawing little to no attention and not many would dare venture in there anyway simply because it's the Shrieking Shack."

Harry let out a puff of air before observing Draco's head. "Are you sure you don't have Hermione in there?" He chuckled.

"I think I'd know if I had an annoying swot stowing away in my head." He said sternly.

"Well then I thank Merlin that you're on our side."

"Too right. Now, shall we go and explore? I haven't had a good kill in ages." He grinned evilly before setting off again, with Harry being forced to trail behind him due to the cloak. Of course everyone had their flaws but Harry couldn't help but feel that Draco actually _enjoyed_ killing. Over the years he had had no qualms with firing the killing curse, casting it off as if it were a simple Expelliarmus which was very troubling since he himself had tried not to use anything more powerful than a Stupefy when in battle as killing played on his conscience too much. Draco, on the other hand killed like it was a sport. Harry didn't like it, but he put up with it because Draco was too valuable an asset to be wasted when they were out on the field. When Harry asked about it though, Draco would always deliver the same speech. "_What good is simply stunning them if they can just be revived and put back into battle again? You'd end up facing the same Death Eater many times over! They're winning because they're killing and taking more of us out than we are of them. How do you know that the guy you just stunned won't be the one who will kill you tomorrow? You'd be better off just killing him."_

They crept silently into the Shrieking Shack, trying desperately to avoid pushing any creaky doors or step on any squeaky floorboards. They tried, and they failed miserably for the moment that Harry pressed his wand to the front door to open it, the old wooden door let out a shrill whine as it strained on its hinges. Both of them stopped in their tracks and cringed as the door continued to creak, slowly opening to reveal the darkness down the hallway. A gust of wind through the house dislodged the invisibility cloak slightly, pulling it more towards Harry, hoisting it up so that Draco's feet were visible.

From the darkness of the hall, a loud war cry was let out and several dark cloaked figures formed a mob and rushed towards them. Draco grinned and shrugged the cloak off himself before readying his wand and casting the first of many killing curses that he would be using that night.

OOO

The two had battled their way through the house relatively easily and had alerted each member of the neglected and dusty parlour where Theo was sat, bound to a chair in the corner of the room whilst his captors rested. A tall lean man, with long flowing silver hair sat perched on one of the old armchairs where he sat comfortably with his ankle crossed over his other knee staring into the fire whilst the woman donned in her gothic black corseted dress paced about the room in her black heeled boots with her mane of black tight curls bounced behind her. Theo almost shivered at her transformation. She had once been an undoubted beauty with her daunting yet sharp and intimidating features and yet now she was scarred and the beauty she once possessed was no longer present.

Theo straightened when he heard the noises of the commotion get closer to the door of the parlour where he was 'trapped'. The crackles of magic were audible along with the grunts and screams of the guards throughout the house. They were close enough now for Theo to sense who they were and as predicted it was Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. This couldn't have turned out any better for Theo, his plan was now falling into place perfectly. He glared over at Lucius who was none the wiser of the cogs turning in Theo's mind right now. The pacing woman looked over to Theo and he nodded once towards her, without catching Lucius' notice and so she slipped out of the room with her wand in hand doing exactly as Theo had ordered her to.

Draco kicked the body of the fallen Death Eater at his feet, a pitiful excuse for a wizard. The man had barely put up a fight! Not that Draco was bragging, he knew he was powerful of course but when someone put up as meagre a fight as this wizard had done, the fall wasn't as rewarding. He wanted a challenge, it was always the same with these average casters, they would always be down with one blow, not even thinking to cast a shield or fire their own spell in retaliation. Draco huffed in annoyance and levitated the body of the fallen wizard up off the worn wooden floorboards before flinging him out of his path with a mere flick of his wand. All of this killing didn't drain him as much as it used to, and he was more than ready for the next wave of Death Eaters but his partner still insisted on stupefying his targets and taking their wands once they had fallen.

They both made for the last room of the house, the one they hadn't checked yet since Draco wanted to do a proper clean-up of the premises before he left, just to flex his magic again. The echo of a door closing sounded throughout the hallways causing the two to take a defensive stance, holding their wands out at the ready. The sight that met the two of them was one that they both believed to be impossible.

"No…" Harry gasped. "You…you're dead!" The woman flashed him a wide grin with her tongue trapped between her two rows of teeth as she did. Draco rubbed his eyes to see if her were dreaming. She had been dead for more years than he could remember. It couldn't be? But it was. It was none other than his estranged Aunt Bellatrix. She looked awful. Her hair was still as wild in its tight ebony curls as it once had been, half of them piled up above her head. Her fashion sense hadn't changed and she still donned the gothic black dresses she always had but her skin was all wrong. She looked as though she were dead, her skin was tinted blue and some of it looked as though it were fake in some areas but only Harry knew the reason for it. Someone somehow had managed to rescue her from that lake before she was killed but she didn't come out unscathed, no, she had been almost eaten alive which would explain the areas of uneven skin and the discolouration, as though she had had a dodgy skin graft.

Anger burned inside Harry and he clutched his wand tightly as she taunted him by simply standing there. She had killed Sirius, it was her fault that they had lost the Horcrux. They could've avoided this war there and then if only they had had that Horcrux and Riddle would be out of the way before he could've made his plans.

"My my my, if it isn't my wittle nephew, baby Draco." She cooed in a childish voice which was all scratchy and hoarse, yet still intimidating as it once had been. "Tell me, how's your Mum?" She teased. Draco stepped forward and opened his mouth to retaliate but Harry stretched out an arm to stop him.

"Find Theo, I'll take care of her. It's personal." Harry growled low enough for her not to hear. Reluctantly, Draco nodded but only because the prospect of having Lucius at his mercy without Potter to interfere sounded positively delightful. Harry fired the first spell at Bellatrix causing her to jump out of the way instinctively, clearing the doorway for Draco who crept through the shadows and slipped through the door leaving his friend to take care of his wicked aunt. He had no doubt that Harry could beat her, especially in her half-devoured state.

He didn't bother to take time to look about the room, since it would probably end up being the same old dust and broken furniture that was situated throughout the rest of the house. As soon as Theo caught sight of him, he went from sitting calmly to actively struggling, trying to get his way out of the chair. Draco saw him and immediately rushed towards him.

"Where's your wand?" He asked, scanning about the room for any sign of Theo's wand. If only Potter were in here, then Draco could've pilfered one of the wands Harry had taken from the stunned Death Eaters.

"Lucius." Was the only word that Theo said. Draco stiffened and turned around to see the silhouette of his Father just barely through the first rays of sunlight that peeked in through the boarded up windows. Draco tried to hide his smirk as he confirmed that it was in fact his Father, twiddling his own wand in his hand. Oh the things Draco was going to do to him would make him wish he never killed his Mother, killed Hermione's parents as well as trying to kill himself, Harry and Hermione.

"Wand at the ready, Draco. We don't want to make a mess of things in front of the Minster." Came the smooth voice of his Father, the drawl that used to intimidate him so as a boy. Well no more. Draco let his wand slip from his sleeve and caught it in his hand.

"You've been hiding _Father._" Draco remarked. "Were you too scared to come out and play?"

"Never _son,_ I've just managed to outwit you every time. Seems you've finally managed to catch up. Been looking forward to this by chance?" He smirked.

"You have no idea." He spat. "My powers are more than double what they were when we last met, _Father._"

"So you too have fallen victim to the Malfoy arrogance and pride I see."

"No thanks to yourself."

"No matter, it will make bringing you down all the more enjoyable."

Theo watched in fascination as he felt the younger Malfoy's anger building. He could feel his rage and determination increasing as though it were a physical object that he could touch. But much to his horror, the boy was trying to quell it. _What? Why? Utilise it you fool!_ He wanted to scream. Draco needed a clear mind, of course he could succumb to the anger that was threatening to send him into one of his fitful rages of power but then he'd kill his Father too quickly and he wanted desperately to drag this out. He wanted to savour each pained cry, each strike, each time he drew blood until he finally ended his pitiful life. Theo sat back in his chair and watched Draco as the fighting commenced. The two began firing spells this way and that between each other, Lucius taking more of an upfront approach and relying solely on the killing curse, trying to eliminate his son quickly and efficiently whilst Draco used spells that would only maim his Father for now. It was a curious approach, Theo thought. He was fighting like a Gryffindor.

What Draco was really doing was wearing his Father down. Sending a few slicing hexes here and there which caught his Father on his upper arm or his lower leg drawing blood. He wanted to wear him down physically as well as magically as he knew his Father's magical core wouldn't hold out as long as his own after the vigorous training he had subjected himself to over the years and by using constant killing curses would make it a lot quicker too.

It was only when one of Lucius' curses almost hit Draco, causing him to have to dive out of the way to avoid it, that he cast a protego around Theo to shield him from any spells that might bounce or miss the intended target before getting to his feet again. He was going to up the ante this time. He fired a simple Expelliarmus in order to clash with his Father's Avada, offering up a pitiful resistance which was all it took to hold off the progression of the green light advancing towards the end of his wand.

Theo watched in awe as Draco released one hand from his wand and whilst escaping Lucius' notice he levitated a dusty vase from the corner of the room and whilst advancing on his Father's spell he brought the vase above his Father's head. It was perfectly planned, he had never seen a fighting technique quite like it. Draco smirked as he dropped the vase over Lucius' head at the last moment causing him to lose focus on his spell, allowing Draco's own spell to hit the end of his wand sending him flying across the room. Draco chuckled and forgetting all about his observer, he sauntered over to his Father who was kneeling and scrambling to reach his wand.

Draco kicked him squarely in the chest, winding him and sending him flying back again. Draco picked up his Father's wand and laughed manically again. He walked over to him as he tried to scramble away from Draco. _Wandless coward, die like a man._

"Where you running to Father? You've got nowhere to go now." He snickered, taking in his Father's vulnerable expression. "You always taught me that for a Crucio to hurt, you've got to mean it. Shall we put it to test, do you think?" Without waiting for a reply he raised both wands in his hand and channelled a sizeable amount of his hatred into his magic, enough so that it started to take over him again, his eyes turned black but he stopped it there. It would devastate too much of his energy leaving him vulnerable if he continued.

His Father writhed and squirmed on the floor under Draco's torture screaming out in an undignified manner. Draco continued with his torture for what seemed like hours to Lucius, due to Draco's sectumsempra, his whole torso had been mutilated and he was lying in a pool of his own blood whimpering in pain since his scream had long been lost. He had been thrown all over the room crashing into multiple pieces of furniture, leaving his blood coating the room as well as Draco who didn't seem to be bothered. He was sure many of his bones had been broken and Draco had made sure he had drained all but a fraction of his magical energy, an excruciatingly painful process leaving his cells feeling ripped and burning alongside his nerves and bones. Everything hurt and Draco was revelling in it.

Draco paused. His Father was on the verge of death now, that much was definitely clear and he had exhausted his amusement for torturing the man since he was no longer providing much of a challenge. Theo, who was still sitting bound to his chair was doing metaphorical jumps for joy. Draco had a talent for torture it seemed, and his victim had been alive for much longer than any he had seen before after such an ordeal. His plan had been set, Draco would be an asset...if only he could be swayed.

However there were many conflicting emotions about the wizard, there was hate, there was anger, and a loathing so powerful…but he didn't put them to use. It was a waste! Unheard of! He could be so much more powerful if only he used them. He had seen a glimpse of them once, he wanted to see it again.

"Kill him, Draco." Theo urged. Draco's head snapped around to regard his Minister as well as Lucius' bloodied face which had been raised slightly from the floor. The look of fear and betrayal in his eyes was unmistakeable now but Lucius had exhausted his use and was worthless to Theo. "Kill him now." He reiterated. Draco looked conflicted for a moment. He had no issue with killing his Father at all after what the scumbag had done but the Order wouldn't want him dead, they would use him for all the information he was worth before allowing him to stand trial before killing him. But the temptation to do it now was overwhelming him.

"I shouldn't." He remarked through gritted teeth. Lucius' eyes shifted up to his son in what could be deciphered as gratitude but there was still the lingering fear. Draco silently sneered at him turning his attention away. He tried weighing the pros up against the cons but only thinking about what Lucius had done made him more and more angry until he felt himself slipping uncontrollably into a fit of rage. Theo sat forward in his chair as Draco's skin began to glow red and his eyes burned with the very essence of hate, he was beyond reasoning now. Theo was positively beside himself with glee, he wouldn't need Lucius anymore, he had served his purpose, besides he had a new toy.

"Do it!" Theo hissed at Draco who took Theo's encouragement and made up his mind quickly. He was going to kill this scum. He began collecting the magic between his hands which were crackling with energy and to Theo his magical aura became visible for a split second, glowing a deep red which rippled around him, vanishing again as Draco sent the ball of magic straight towards Lucius' chest, killing him instantly and painfully.

* * *

_I know y'all probably hate Lucius but don't you just feel sorry for the poor thing. And what about Theo huh? Let me know your thoughts on what's going on with that!_


	35. Chapter 35

___**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, just wanted to tell you that I've got an idea for my next story! Of course I won't start focusing on writing that one until this one has finished, which by the way still should be quite a while. But yeah, I'm going to centre it around the whole 'What if' experience. Now my lips are sealed. _

* * *

**_Chapter XXXV_**

The sound of little footsteps padding across the floor behind Hermione startled her out of her thoughts as she stared out across the expanse of the gardens that were adjoined to their Manor.

"Good morning Blinky." Hermione smiled to the little elf. She had woken in a hurry this morning in a rush to feel the cold air of the outside on her face.

"Good morning Mistress Hermione, Blinky comes into Mistresses' room to wake Mistress but Blinky finds Mistress outside." The elf remarked in a puzzled manner, peering out of the balcony doors to see her properly, clad in only a thin silken night robe that reached her ankles, showing her dainty bare feet. "Mistress be catching a chill?" The elf asked, gesturing for her to come inside.

"Oh, no Blinky. I came out here for some fresh air. I'm not feeling all too well this morning." She smiled meekly.

"Mistress must be lying down and Blinky fetch Mistress Hermione a potion. Yes he will." The elf offered.

"It's alright Blinky, I think it's just stress with Draco being gone and all. Would you mind fetching me a pot of tea please?" She asked sheepishly. She wouldn't normally ask Blinky to fetch her things but she felt positively awful this morning.

"Blinky is glad that he being an elf. Stress being a human illness but Blinky will bring Mistress Hermione her tea." He said brightly before scampering off towards the kitchen joyfully since his Mistress had asked him to make her something which was a very rare occasion indeed.

"Thank you." She called after him. Turning back to her fawning over the gardens again, she rubbed her temples. Something didn't feel right, but she couldn't put her finger on it. It hadn't been the same for a long while now, she suspected it was the threat of them losing the war, the Minister's disappearance, worrying for Draco's well-being as well as that of her friendswhile trying to juggle the politics with work too. Even for someone who could manage a lot, it seemed like a little too much.

Blinky returned a short while after and began pouring her a cup of her favourite brew; Yorkshire Tea. Whilst adding the sugar to her liking he spoke again. "Does Mistress Hermione be wanting to retire for today or does Mistress want to return to work?" Blinky asked, setting down the little bowl of sugar. Hermione tore her eyes away from the rising sun and came away from the balcony, gratefully taking the cup that Blinky had prepared for her. She took a few generous sips once she had sat down in her favourite armchair and let out a sigh of approval, the blend seemed to be quelling the queasiness in her stomach.

"I'll go to work today Blinky, I'm sure I'll be fine." She smiled at the elf.

"Might Blinky be suggesting the places that Mistress Narcissa went to so she being relaxed…" The elf trailed off, deep in thought as he tried to remember the name.

"You mean a spa, Blinky?" Hermione asked, trying to hide her smile. The elf lit up.

"Yes! That being the place! Because Mistress Narcissa always being better when she be coming back from the spa so Mistress Hermione could go!" He suggested eagerly.

"I don't think I will have enough time to steal away for a visit, there's too much to do." She sighed wearily. Being the Lady Undersecretary was hard work. She sat in silence as Blinky took the tray back downstairs towards the kitchen whilst she sipped on her tea, enjoying the peacefulness as she watched the golden orb which was the sun rise above the canopy created by the trees around the Manor.

OOO

Hermione sat in the Courtroom Ten on the lowermost floor of the Ministry of Magic and by far the coldest floor, sitting in the place that Theo was supposed to be filling at the trial of another captured Death Eater. There had been whispers when she had entered the courtroom and sat in the place of Theo but by the stormy look on her face, nobody had dared to question her about it. Her focus had been waning throughout the majority of the trial so far and the poor little lad who sat before the whole Wizengamot looked ready to wet his trousers at the intimidating stares of many of the Ministry officials. Luckily for her she had a quill transcribing the whole hearing so that she may check over her notes when the time came to vote.

The witnesses had been heard and the court was currently deliberating if the defendant was to be convicted, which meant he would be sentenced to Azkaban at the very least for bearing the Dark Mark. That in itself was condemning evidence. There was no way he would escape Azkaban, despite the fact that he looked little older than 16 himself. His dirty blonde hair was matted and his terrified blue eyes shifted to each of the daunting faces that peered over him. Hermione felt sorry for him, but he had the mark and so she couldn't do anything to let him walk, she could at least commute his sentence from the expected Dementor's Kiss.

"You are speaking out of order Mr Ogden. The time for a debate is over, we vote now." Came the authoritative voice of Amelia Bones as she shot Tiberius Ogden a meaningful glare from across the courtroom.

"Excuse me, but Section 375(c) of the-" He began to retort.

"We. Vote. _Now_." She said sternly and for once, Hermione was glad of Mrs Bones taking charge of the Wizengamot. Hermione usually steered clear of anything to do with them since they dragged on for days at a time, they could never come to an agreement and Theo's schedule always seemed to be overcrowded with this hearing or that. It really was tiresome. All of a sudden, she felt dizzy. She clamped her eyes shut and frowned but that only seemed to make things worse. Never had she ever experienced this kind of vertigo before. The usually freezing courtroom suddenly felt incredibly hot and stuffy and her mandatory Wizengamot robe felt too heavy and tight. She reached over and rudely grabbed Elphias Doge's drinking glass before desperately drowning the entire lot. He stared at her confusedly but she daren't look at him, she still felt incredibly ill. Elphias leaned over to her in concern.

"Milady, are you alright?" He asked noting as she scrunched her nose through tightly shut eyes.

"It's nothing Mr Doge, I assure you. Just a little dizziness, nothing more." She smiled falsely.

"Would you like for me to summon a Medi-Witch? We could have you down at St Mungo's in no time Milady."

"No, thank you for your concern but I must cast my vote." She smiled meekly.

He refilled his water glass with a quick flick of his wand and pushed it under her nose, she nodded gratefully. "I could cast your vote for you if you were feeling too unwell, Milady." He offered.

"It will only take a second, I'm sure I will be fine." He smiled although there were lines of concern creasing his forehead as he made to cast his own vote. She raised her hand for her own vote, convicting the defendant as guilty and let a sigh of relief pass through her lips when his only sentence was ten years in Azkaban. She stood a little too quickly from her chair and began to make her way as carefully as she could towards the exit, when someone caught her arm.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Justin asked as he bent down slightly in order to look at her properly. She looked a little flushed and unwell and he didn't miss her look of distress from across the courtroom.

"Yes, it's just a little dizziness. It'll pass. Would you cancel my appointments for the rest of the day and escort me to the Atrium? I must be going home." She declared. No matter how guilty she felt for leaving Justin on his own for a day, she knew she wasn't going to be very productive in this state and so going home would be for the best.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you to St Mungo's instead of home?" He asked.

"Please Justin, I'll be fine. It's just the weight of events that is all. Besides, the Healers at St Mungo's have more important things to deal with instead of a little bout of dizziness." She chuckled.

"Perhaps you're becoming ill, my little lion."

"I'll go home and rest, then I'll see if I need a Healer or not, if it appeases you." She smiled as he took her by the crook of her arm and led her steadily up towards the Atrium and to the floo.

OOO

Blinky had been fretting over her ever since she had arrived back early from the Ministry and explained her situation. He had forced her to take a short nap in her bedroom which she happily obliged and passed out as soon as she hit the pillow. When she awoke, her light-headedness had vanished but she still felt a little off. When Blinky had found out he had asked their other elf Pinky to run her a soothing bath in Draco's enormous tub.

It was the best decision she'd made all day. Now, she was floating in a tub of warm, floral scented water with little jars containing her infamous bluebell flames flickering around the tub. Her wild curls had been piled atop her head in a messy bun to stop them getting wet whilst everything below her neck was submerged in the water which was soothingly gliding over her skin. She had plugged her iPod into the wall and had soft music playing in the background as she relaxed.

She was so relaxed in fact, that her eyes fluttered shut and her breathing deepened as her neck tilted back, so that her head was leaning against the edge of the tub. She fell into a beautiful dream, one that gave her the feeling of euphoria, she felt complete, unadulterated happiness. Something she hadn't felt in a long time and for the life of her, she couldn't understand why.

_She found herself laying outside the Manor in the lush green spring grass. Her hair was spread around her and she was smiling a smile she hadn't seen in many years. Everything looked exactly the same, the little cherry tree by the pond, Narcissa's daffodils, the extensive variety of shrubbery and wild flowers were all as they should be. The sun was shining down on her and she could feel its comforting warmth. She closed her eyes and basked in the heat but was disrupted when she heard the sound of giggles coming from behind one of the shrubs. _

_"Who's there?" She asked alarmed, shooting up into a sitting position before scanning her surroundings. The response was the sound of little muffled footsteps running across the grass followed by the sound of more giggles. It sounded like…children…_

_"Come out little one, I won't bite." She cooed, much like she did with James on occasion. Then she saw him walking towards her, a little boy about the age of five or so with vanilla blond hair._

_"Hello" Said the little boy shyly as he leant in closer to Hermione. She stared straight into his icy blue eyes, in fact she could have almost said that they were…grey…They were familiar to her, very familiar in fact. They looked so much like Draco's. _

_"Hello. My name's Hermione." She smiled warmly at the shy little child. "What are you doing out here all alone?" She queried. _

_"You were sad." He perked up, tucking a stray curl of his fringe behind his ear bashfully. "And I wanted you to be happy again." _

_"How did you know that I was sad?" Hermione's brow furrowed. _

_"I feel everything you feel." The boy said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. _

_"What?" Hermione asked, astonished._

_"I'm part of you." He replied. _

Hermione's eyes shot open and she jerked up in the bath. Her chest was heaving violently as she remembered the dream she'd just experienced. But that was all it was, a dream and a cruel one at that. She sniffled before bursting into tears. How could her subconscious play horrible tricks on her like that? It seemed that her craving for a child was overwhelming her and yet it reminded her all the more of the fact that it was more than likely that she would never have children. Her tears mingled with the warmth of the bath water but she did nothing to stop them as they fell from her eyes. It wasn't her fault that she would never be able to give Draco any children and her horrible brain had to remind her of that even during her sleep.

He had never talked about children, perhaps so to make her feel more at ease with her impairment. But what if he actually wanted them? Ginny would talk of how good he was with James when she would pop round and see them from time to time or even James himself would talk about his _Unca Draco_. But she knew that after the war, no matter how much he loved her, he would always want from her what she couldn't give. She was scared that he might find someone else once the war was over, someone who could give him the family that he deserved. That was always the fear with Draco, when he saw everyone he knew and loved having children around him, she wasn't exactly sure that he would stay with her through that despite what he might want.

She was _barren._

And it was Lucius' fault.

Then again it was her own fault for being so headstrong. Had she listened to Harry and not gone back into the Ministry as Lupin had suggested, she would probably be fine now. She would be as fertile as any other woman and she wouldn't cry over dreams that she had about children. Wallowing in her own self-pity, she hauled herself out of the bath and wrapped a towel firmly around her before stepping out and clearing the mist off the mirror, revealing to her the horribly puffy face she was now sporting.

The rest of the night was a rather sleepless one, she didn't eat anything at dinner, too absorbed by the face of the little boy from her dream.

OOO

"Good morning to yous, Missy Hermione." Pinky chimed as she skipped into the artificial night that Hermione had created in her bedroom. She cracked an eye open as the elf began drawing the curtains, allowing the harsh morning light to sting her eyes. "Time to be getting yous up Missy." She sang. Hermione sat up groggily and wished she hadn't, she felt worse than ever. Her stomach growled and churned uncomfortably.

"Sweet Merlin!" She gasped as she scrambled to untangle herself from the bedsheets, frantically crawling across the mattress before sprinting into the bathroom almost knocking Pinky out of the way as she went. She made it to the toilet just in time and crouched immediately before retching violently. Pinky shrieked as Hermione continued to lurch up the meagre contents of her stomach into the toilet and even when she was sure there was nothing left, she kept dry heaving until her sides hurt and her eyes watered.

She sniffled pitiably and hauled herself up, pulling the chain on the toilet, watching as her vomit was lost to the water. She pulled her curls back from her face and hobbled over to the sink, Pinky took her hair as she washed her mouth out to rid herself of the foul taste of vomit that seemed to linger. A little while later, Blinky popped into the room, shocked to find his Mistress had been ill.

"Blinky thinks that Mistress Hermione is being ill. Mistress shouldn't be going to go to work today." Blinky commanded sternly.

"Oh, Pinky thinks so too Missy Hermione! If Missy lie in her bed and Pinky be taking Missy's temperature." Pinky chimed. Each elf took one of her hands and led her back to the unmade bed with Hermione grumbling about missing work the entire way. Pinky shoved a thermometer into Hermione's mouth but when Blinky checked it, the results came back as completely normal. The elf had his suspicions but he had been told time and time again that it was impossible.

"I don't understand." Hermione groaned. "If there's no fever then I can't have the flu! Perhaps I should stop by at St Mungo's." She sighed. With a nod from Blinky, Pinky quickly disappeared with a pop.

"Blinky not meaning to be prying, Mistress Hermione. But when did Mistress Hermione be bleeding?" The elf asked curiously.

"Bleeding? I don't understand." She said confusedly.

"Blinky not be having to change any bloody sheets for a while now Mistress." The elf prompted.

"Oh! Oh…" She trailed off as a small flush graced her cheeks. "It was…" Shit. She couldn't quite remember when her last cycle was, which was usually a bad thing. She had been so preoccupied with other things that it had totally slipped her mind. "Not recently…" Her face was as white as a sheet as she continued. "Blinky, you don't think that I could be…well…you know…_pregnant_?" She whispered the word as tears misted in her eyes.

"Blinky seen the same thing with Mistress Narcissa he did. Blinky thinking that we be testing to see Mistress Hermione." The elf offered. She reached over for her wand on the bedside table and with terribly shaking hands she tried to position it above her stomach. Her mouth was dry with anticipation, she had never considered the possibility since it never was a possibility. The Healer had told her that it was very unlikely that she should ever conceive, let alone carry to full term. Of course, because of that they had never bothered to use any protection and even if they did, she was sure that passion and spontaneity would have quickly made them lose all sense and forget about it completely.

Blinky placed a calm hand over Hermione's shaking one and took the wand from her, better to cast the spell. She nodded her teary thanks as he pointed the wand towards her stomach and muttered a little incantation that Mistress Narcissa had taught him many years ago. The gentle white light seeped from the tip of Hermione's wand and through her nightgown and into her stomach. They both knew that if the light came back white then it would mean that she would not be pregnant however if it came back gold…

Blinky placed his hand on hers while they waited for the magic to do its work inside her belly, but she couldn't help but feel nervous. She was sure she would cry either way. The possibility that she could actually be carrying a child despite what the Healers had said all those years ago made her feel euphoric, she could give Draco what he wanted, and more importantly what she wanted. On the other hand, having this child would be a dangerous thing for them both if she were pregnant. _Pause. Rewind._ She told herself. _Let's wait to see the outcome first before we start over-analysing things, shall we?_ She took a deep breath and crossed her legs, bobbing her knee up and down impatiently while she tried to restrain frustrated tears.

She looked down at her stomach and stared as hard as she could at it, willing for the light to make its reappearance. She held her breath as the skin of her tummy started to glow and out came a little wisp of light. Hermione gasped and cupped her hands over her mouth to muffle her sobs. The little stream of golden light trailed back towards the tip of her wand before dulling into nothingness.

She shook wildly as tears of many, many mixed emotions flooded from her eyes. She was pregnant. The impossible had happened. Then she thought back to the strange dream she had had a few days previous in the bath, had her subconscious known what was happening to her?

"Mistress Hermione, Blinky thinks that Mistress be having a wee one" He said softly.

"How long? Can we find out?" She asked through a choked voice.

Blinky nodded and took Hermione's hand into his own. Closing his eyes, he let his own magic work. When he opened them he looked her squarely in the eye.

"Nearly three months, Mistress Hermione." He smiled.

Her moment of happiness was instantly snatched away from her when her brain caught up with her. A baby would complicate things greatly for herself and Draco.

"Oh Draco." She sighed aloud. "What am I going to tell you?"


	36. Chapter 36

___**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

* * *

**_Chapter XXXVI_**

Draco was on top of the world. He was on his way with Harry to visit Lupin and explain what they had done as if they were naughty schoolboys still. However, they had Theo in tow and so any discrepancies that Lupin might have could be washed over by the fact that they had rescued the Minister. As Draco walked, he heard the clacking of the two wands he held in his pocket, one which belonged to his Father, which he was going to give to his lovely fiancée to snap.

It was odd because he was an orphan now, and yet he felt liberated more than anything. His Mother's death had been a crushing blow but his Father's meant nothing to him at all. In fact once he had calmed from his rage and began taking in his surroundings, he spied the mutilated body of his Father at his feet and had almost done a victory dance. The bastard was gone, completely and utterly and Draco couldn't wait to tell his Hermione what he had done, because he had done it for her ultimately.

As they stood at the gates of Grimmauld Place, each of them sent their Patronuses ahead. It was the Order's new security system since you couldn't fake a Patronus and everyone's was different. Plus the fact that they figured that no Death Eater had memories happy enough to conjure a Patronus at all, nor would they have been taught. Theo, oddly enough, didn't cast his Patronus this time so Draco figured that he had a little thing for theatrics and making a surprise, although there wouldn't be many Order members here.

Draco was glad for it. He couldn't face any of the Weasleys right now and he didn't think Harry could either. Hovering behind them on upon Harry's magic were the bodies of Oliver Wood and Arthur Weasley who Theo had told them had been killed immediately upon his capture from the outside the York Base. Harry had tried to stop crying in front of the Minister and so had dragged behind the group to expel his silent tears.

On Harry's part, the day had been a failure. Yes they had rescued the Minister, but Bellatrix Lestrange was still at large. She had run through the house as Harry tried to stun her, at one point he had contemplated a killing curse but shook his head of the idea quickly and Bellatrix had been quick to escape from his grasp by sending a stunner at him and being on her way like the coward she was. Harry was disgraced. Furthermore, he had to find a way to tell his wife that her Father had been murdered and he had let the killer slip through his fingers. It was going to break her.

"Harry Potter! You stupid wizard, I've been beside myself with worry and-" Lupin bellowed but stopped in his tracks at the group assembling in the downstairs hallway of Grimmauld Place. "What happened?" He said sternly.

"Well my good friend," Draco started off cheerily. "It seems we located the Minister." He reached behind him and pulled Theo into Lupin's view.

"Thank the Gods! Minister, are you hurt?" Lupin asked.

"No no. Draco here made my safety his first priority." Theo stated.

"How so?" Lupin asked.

"Well he apprehended and struck down my kidnapper for one-" Theo started and Lupin held up a hand causing Theo to stop in his tracks.

"You did what?"

"You heard him." Draco snarled. "I found him, I killed him. Job done. I'll be on my way now."

"Who was it?" Lupin asked.

"Lucius." Draco replied. Lupin's upper lip twitched and he was on the verge of a meltdown. "Well, as fun as it's been, I have places to be during my freedom. Cheerio Potter." He chirped before quickly exiting Grimmauld Place. From outside he could already hear Lupin screaming at poor Potter but he wasn't about to feel guilty. He was glad he'd done the bugger in. With a spring in his step, he made his way past the wards where he could safely apparate back to his Manor house where hopefully his fiancée would be waiting.

OOO

The pop of apparation downstairs sent Blinky and Pinky squealing that their Master was home. Hermione heard it from her bedroom and her heart dropped into her stomach. The moment was upon her and for the life of her she didn't know what she was going to say. Oh God, what if he tried to have sex with her? Was it safe in her condition? Damn it all to Hell! She straightened down her clothes carefully to occupy her shaking hands before sitting down on an armchair facing the door, knowing that in only a few moments he would walk through that door. Her heartbeat sped up rapidly and she could feel the thumping against her chest.

She could hear his footsteps getting closer and closer across the hall.

She breathed in and out deeply, there was nothing to be scared of.

The doorknob rattled before turning.

She shakily reached a hand up to brush her curls behind her ears before clasping them together.

The door opened and in stepped Draco.

She burst into tears and buried her face into her hands.

He was completely shocked when that happened, never had he seen Hermione so distraught since the loss of her parents. She dropped to her knees on the carpet, falling off the chair and held out her arms like a child wanting to be held.

He obliged and without a second thought he wrapped her up in his arms as she cried into his shoulder. He murmured soothingly to her as she rode out her tears until she was nothing but a blubbering mess who was all cried out. By this time, she was curled up uncomfortably in his lap and he could've sworn she had cut off the circulation to his legs but still he didn't move and rocked her gently to and fro until she calmed down.

When she was no longer sobbing, he brushed a lock of her hair that was stuck to her face with her tears away from her eyes. "Want to tell me what you were crying for now?" He asked.

"I missed you." She whispered. It wasn't lying as such, she was just missing out parts of the truth.

"You silly witch. I'm fine, I always am. No need to cry, you know I hate that."

"It was just stress I think." She replied, slipping a hand to her stomach to feel the slight hardness of her bump forming. Nobody would've noticed if they hadn't been feeling for it, in fact it felt as though she were just bloated. "Did you find the Minister?" She asked to divert herself from the pressing matter that needed discussing.

Draco's eyes suddenly lit up. "Did we find him?" He muttered sardonically. "Of course we found him."

"What happened?" She asked curiously.

"Well you remember Daddy Dearest don't you?" He started.

"Say no more, I get the picture." She shuddered.

"Don't worry, he's not going to get you anymore. I made sure of it." He declared,

"What do you mean?" She asked. He didn't answer her, but instead he reached into his pocket and produced a wand of elm and attached to the hilt there was a silver snake's head. Hermione recognised the wand quickly as he handed it to her. "He's dead? How?" She asked as relief flooded through her. If it weren't for the weighing things on her mind, she was sure she would've jumped up and danced at the liberation. She was finally free of him and his hold over her.

"I made him pay." His eyes darkened for a moment and she could see them turning black. He was having one of his rages again. She was never scared when it happened, just apprehensive, however she always managed to calm him down with her touch. She dropped Lucius' wand onto the floor and wove her fingers into his hair and began scratching his scalp gently. He closed his eyes and groaned before letting his head fall onto her shoulder while she continued. She felt the tension that had built up in his muscles slacken causing her to exhale shakily. Merlin help her on the day she wouldn't be able to calm him down.

When he opened his eyes again, his senses had returned to him and he spied Lucius' neglected wand on the floor. He reached for it before leaning back out of Hermione's hold before handing it to her. She was glad to find that his eyes had reverted back to their original silver as she retook the wand. She didn't like the feel of it in her hand, there was no instant connection like with her own wand, in fact this wand only plagued her with instability.

"I brought it for you, so you could snap it." He told her, hoping that by doing so she would gain some form of closure. Hopefully by doing this, the nightmares would go away and she would have a little more confidence. She moved her grip so that each hand was curled around the opposite ends of the wand. She applied an increasing force, pushing down on both sides of the wand until the wood splintered, breaking the wand into two and with a puff of smoke, all magic left the wood. As soon as it was done, she dropped the object onto the ground, wishing to have nothing more to do with it. "There was some other things too that you might like to know. Bellatrix is alive." Hermione gasped but he continued. "She killed Oliver Wood and Arthur."

"No." Her hand flew to her mouth. "This will crush Ginny! Oh and Molly! I must go and see them." She declared before scrambling out of his lap in the direction of the door. When she was passing under the door frame she stopped herself, remembering _the other thing._ She turned around and ran back to him, launching herself into his arms and giving him a desperate and bruising kiss which he cautiously returned. It didn't escape his notice that something was bothering his fiancée, she wasn't usually as jumpy and over emotional as she was at the moment. Not to mention that kisses like this weren't usually her style, she didn't initiate them anyway. He furrowed his brow and kissed her back with a sweet and reassuring tenderness. She broke away from him upon sensing his carefulness with her, fisting her hair she marched over towards the balcony and began pacing.

"God, I can't do this." She would mutter to herself, her eyes rapidly shifting all over the place. The she would let out a desperate sob. "I can't do this anymore. What am I going to do?" Her breathing was coming out in short and heavy pants as she worked herself up even more. She was a nervous wreck, something which was completely out of the ordinary. He leant against the doorway and watched her pace, unsure of how to calm her down in such a state. She stopped eventually, so that she was turning away from him, taking a multitude of deep and shaky breaths before turning back to him.

"I need to tell you something. Something important." She stopped, unsure of how to progress from there. She tucked a stray curl behind her ear and began again. "So I haven't been feeling all too well lately. I've been able to tell that much for a while and I ignored it at first. Y'know, like I always do, typical Granger." She laughed nervously. "But it kept getting worse progressively until I told myself it was too serious to ignore-"

"Are you ill? I hope you went to St Mungo's." He said sternly.

She shook her head in a frustrated manner. "Just let me finish, please. I need to get this out." She took another deep breath and continued. "Where was I? Oh yes, it was distracting me from my work and I couldn't sleep or eat properly and things were just getting crazy and…God damn it I can't even say it."

"I'm sure it's okay, whatever it is." He said carefully, trying to coerce her into talking.

"I'm pregnant." She blurted out before clapping a hand over her mouth and staring at him to wait for his reaction. Her eyes were wide and had begun to tear over, yet she held them back furiously while watching him so she didn't miss a single detail. His world crashed. There was a whole mix of emotions flooding him right now. He was going to be a Father? It couldn't have come at a worse possible time. He inhaled sharply and opened his mouth as if to say something but quickly closed it again. He walked over to the edge of the balcony and planted his hands on the stone railing deep in thought.

"But I thought that the Healer said-"

"That I would probably never have children, I know." She finished for him. He turned his head back away from her again. He wasn't ready to share her yet, in fact he wasn't sure he was even ready for such a big responsibility. But then again, remembering seeing Harry with James and thinking what it would be like if he had a child of his own strengthened his resolve. This was impossible, but then again, everything between them always was impossible wasn't it? So why not just throw a baby in the mix because that would make things all better! "Please don't be angry with me." She whimpered helplessly. He whipped his head back around in her direction and saw the raw vulnerability and fear reflected in her teary eyes. He couldn't do this now; there was time for thinking later. Right now, she needed him.

He closed the distance between them in a few long strides. She closed her eyes, scared of his reaction towards her condition but opened them again to find him on his knees before her with his arms curled around her waist and his head pressed to her abdomen. All of her anxiety dissipated within an instant and she began crying tears of joy. He was happy, meaning she could be too. They had done what the Healer had said was very improbable and now she was going to be a Mother.

She sniffled and looked down at his upturned face. "I'm not angry with you." He assured her.

"Are you happy?" She asked.

"It took me by surprise I must say, and we're going to have to work at this but yes, I'm happy. Are you happy?"

He turned his head into her stomach and kissed it. She smiled as tears dripped off the end of her chin. "I'm terrified, I'm anxious, I'm excited, but yes, I am happy. The most happy." She let out a shaky breath of relief and calmed herself. "Draco, what are we going to do?" She sighed hopelessly, slumping to the cold stone floor of the balcony beside him.

"For starters, we're going to get married."

He felt her stiffen. "What?! Draco, we talked about this. It'll be all the easier for us to be discovered."

"Dearest, I do believe we will be discovered once your condition becomes evident. There's nothing we can do about it."

"Easy, I won't reveal who the Father is." She said simply.

His eyes darkened. "Absolutely not." The thought of people trying to guess who had been with _his_ witch was positively sickening to him. "I won't have anybody dragging your name through the mud and so we're going to be married. It's a little sooner than I planned but I won't have any child of mine being born a bastard." He clarified.

"Our baby is not a bastard." She roared.

"Exactly, because we will marry." He concluded. She didn't look impressed. "Oh come on Darling, we're practically married as it is. I know we agreed on waiting until the war was over but at this rate, the war will never be over and by marrying we can provide a stable foundation for our family."

"I don't think that we'll have any stable foundations given current events, Draco. I mean look at us, I spend most of my day in the Ministry now and you're gone for days, weeks or even months at a time." She sighed in defeat. "This couldn't have happened at a worse time."

"We'll get by. Besides, we have Blinky and Pinky to help us along and-"

"Draco, at this rate our child will grow up without knowing who its parents are! As much as I love Blinky and Pinky, I'd like it if I could raise my own child."

"I know Darling, I know. I just don't think that the war will allow that. Especially since it's our child, we're going to have to work extra hard to protect it."

"Which is why I'm opposed to coming out with it since it will probably lead to our baby being targeted." She said strongly, placing a protective hand around her slightly swollen stomach.

"I think it's going to be targeted regardless. We might have to consider other options…" He pondered.

"I won't give it up!" She shouted at him. Her eyes widened in fear and she shrunk away from him. He reached for her and pulled her into his arms again placing a finger over her quivering lips to silence her.

"And I would never ask you to do that. I was thinking more along the lines of concealing it until it can no longer be ignored and we can go from there." He suggested.

"Draco I can't leave the Ministry, they need me there."

"Yes but the baby is going to need you too. You said it yourself, you want to be there to raise it." He shrugged.

"I can't believe this is happening." She groaned.

"Me neither, but it is. How long have you known?"

"Blinky ran a test on me yesterday. I haven't known too long but this little one managed to go undetected for a grand total of almost three months! Can you believe it? I'd have thought I would've noticed that something was wrong."

"Three months!" He exclaimed, mentally calculating where he was about three months ago. Hmm…three months…three months…Ah! Three months ago he had been in London helping against the raid where the Death Eaters had taken a group of unsuspecting Muggles hostage. Cripes, that had been a mess. They had sent a multitude of strike teams in there to try and rescue the poor souls but the Death Eaters had anticipated that and had launched a full blown attack on all of the occupants of the high-rise building. It had been a disaster and nobody had made it out alive. That had been the day when they had lost Charlie Weasley.

He remembered coming back from that particular raid feeling like a complete failure. He couldn't look the Weasleys in the eye since it had been his order that had sent their son to the dogs. It had been his strategy that had sent that strike team in. He'd felt awful for days and didn't leave the Manor for at least a week with only his fiancée to keep him company whenever she wasn't in the Ministry. Three guesses what they had been doing in all of their free time. He chuckled at the memory before a cold burst of wind made him shiver forcefully.

"Come on, let's get back inside, it's freezing out here." He suggested and jumped to his feet before offering his hand to her. As she stood she brushed a hand over her taut stomach and the enormity of the situation washed over her once again. She didn't look too different yet, but she was changing on the inside at a rapid pace and before she knew it, it would be all too obvious because of the new life growing inside of her. Everything was going to change.

This could lead to be the end of her career in the Ministry. Although she had been reluctant to enter it at first, she soon found that she excelled at it. It was a demanding occupation which was what she liked in a job, always keeping her on her toes and now she couldn't possibly fathom the idea of leaving it. She doubted that Lupin would allow the Lady Undersecretary to give birth under such scandalous circumstances since she was supposed to be representing the Order. What if he forced her to resign? The idea horrified her, she couldn't simply abandon ship, she was in too far to stop now. In fact, she was going to rock the Wizarding community with whatever she did. Which would be more controversial? Lying about having a child out of wedlock or admitting to marrying Draco, a famous war hero and of course, very eligible bachelor. Presuming of course, that he followed through with his word and married her.

She was worried about how Draco would react as the pregnancy progressed, since she knew that he would abandon his duty to the Order in a heartbeat if she asked him to, or he felt that she needed him more than the Order. She couldn't allow him to do that either. The weight of her new responsibilities were weighing down on her since her life was no longer about just Hermione anymore. In fact it hadn't been about just Hermione for a long time. Now it was all about Hermione and Draco plus baby.

Only time would reveal how they would manage to get through this unscathed.


	37. Chapter 37

_____**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, guess what day it is? Saturday! Which means it's time for another update! Woo, I love Saturdays. On the bright side, I have been able to overcome the dastardly writer's block that has kept me from writing for over a week and managed to get 3 chapters out in two days as well as a one shot that I'd love for you guys to check out. It's called _**No Regrets, **_but you can find all of that on my profile if you're interested. I'd also love it if you guys could take the time to drop me a review, I'm feeling rather unloved. Yep, I'm just that sad._ _Until tomorrow my lovelies. _

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**_Chapter XXXVII_**

Hermione woke early on that particular morning due to the uncomfortable roiling of her stomach while she slept. It had roused her rather rudely and she had tried desperately to ignore it in order to go back to sleep but had failed miserably. She wouldn't lie, this terrible sickness was at the top of her list for reasons to hate pregnancy, despite the fact that she had told herself to enjoy every single minute of it in case her chance never came about again. She was just on the brink of hitting the start of her fourth month and her anticipation was growing. For once she passed her third month, her chances of miscarrying would decrease dramatically and so she had been praying desperately to get herself through this without any complications.

Her stomach was doing back flips again and made a curious noise that sounded oddly enough like a dying whale, urging her to get out of bed and quickly. She knew her body well enough to know that as soon as she sat up, she would be bounding towards the bathroom in no time at all. Being a woman really was hard work sometimes. She felt the warmth radiating off her fiancé's body beside her and she smiled at the feeling of being able to wake up next to him again, when he wasn't away fighting a war.

She rolled onto her side carefully, as so not to irk her volatile stomach any more and clasped her hands together before placing them between her head and the pillow as she watched the steady rise and fall of his pale chest. She tried and failed to stifle a yawn, quickly stuffing her head into the pillow to muffle the noise. It would be a lie if she said she wasn't tired. Draco and herself had been up multiple times through the night, reconnecting in the most pleasurable way that they knew how, despite the hour long deliberation before going to bed as to whether they might hurt their child in the process.

After a rather flustered Hermione had to resort to asking Blinky, their stay-at-home-midwife, they had found out that it was perfectly safe and healthy. She still remembered the feeling of her cheeks burning as she stood before the little elf. It's not like he didn't know what they were doing, after all she was pregnant and she was sure that they were noisy enough sometimes, but it was still embarrassing to talk about. Despite Blinky's reassurance, she noticed that he had been extra careful with her during the night even at his own expense. In fact, by going as slow as he did, he had tired himself out even more due to the immense control he had relied on as so not to let his primal urges take over. She smiled silently to herself as fiancé slept on, seemingly dead to the world.

She rolled back over onto her back, preparing to get out of bed. Better not prolong the inevitable. She craned her head up to observe her route to the bathroom, no obstacles and luckily the bathroom door had been left open. She slowly began raising herself up, so far so good. However as soon as she got past a 70 degree angle she felt the familiar swirling in her stomach and without a second thought she bolted out of bed and straight into the bathroom with her hand over her mouth. She slumped down in front of the toilet and began the usual heaving until she felt drained and exhausted again.

She was so exhausted in fact, that she couldn't find the energy to lift her head from the toilet seat. The feeling in her stomach hadn't quelled fully and she knew that her ordeal was far from over. Her shaky hands clutched either side of the toilet seat as her stomach constricted and she lurched forward, vomiting again with another violent heave. She felt a pair of hands pull her hair gently away from her face and into a makeshift ponytail at the back of her head before one of the hands moved to soothingly rub her back.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" She croaked, turning back to him with heavy lidded eyes.

"Darling, you threw the quilt on top of me before jumping off the bed. I'm sure you could've woken even our _dear_ friend Weasel." He mocked.

She groaned. "I'm sorry. Although it seems your child is as fussy an eater as you are."

"That'll be the ever reliable Malfoy genes kicking in there I suppose, always the worst traits wouldn't you say?" She smiled, not being able to find the energy to giggle. "Think you're finished?" He asked. She nodded in return and he hoisted her up off the floor and flushed the chain whilst she grabbed a bottle of mouthwash and promptly swilled out her mouth. Once the taste of vomit had been replaced with the freshness of the cool mint mouthwash she gazed upon her reflection.

"Ugh, it seems that pregnancy is not agreeing with me." She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Dearest, it's not pregnancy, you're just sick and very tired is all." He replied.

"I wonder why that could be?" She challenged, catching his eye in the mirror.

"Hey, there were two people in that bed last night." He backfired with a smirk, thumbing in the direction of their bedroom.

"Luckily for you." She snorted. He rolled his eyes and ducked out of her vision before hoisting her up bridal style and carrying her back to the unmade bed and laying her down where she started wiggling about to make herself comfortable. "Sleep with me." She ordered through closed eyes, holding out a hand.

"Real smooth. You know, usually you'd have to take me to dinner first." He joked. She raised an eyebrow and even though her eyes were closed he could feel her menacing glare. He gladly climbed into bed beside her and pulled her in as close as physically possible to him. "We need to think about getting married soon."

"You'd have to take me to dinner first." She replied and he smirked into her shoulder. _That's my girl._ He thought secretly.

"I'm serious. I don't know when Lupin's going to be ordering me up North again. I'm guessing it'll be soon because he's still bitching to Harry about me killing Lucius."

"Yes dear." She muttered before turning to face him and snuggling into his chest.

"Are you listening?"

"Do you doubt me Draco Malfoy?" She asked in mock hurt. "Well I want to keep it as low key as possible, and by low key I mean you, me and two witnesses."

"Who are we going to ask without revealing it to anybody?"

"Oh, I already figured that out." She replied sleepily.

"Do go on."

"Blinky and Pinky. They already know about us and because they serve you, they can't tell anybody."

"You're brilliant."

"That's why you're marrying me. Now kindly shut up and let me catch up on some much needed beauty sleep." He didn't answer as his soon-to-be-wife placed her head on his shoulder and threw a protective arm around his waist before drifting off to sleep, shortly followed by him.

OOO

Lupin's gaunt face was retrieved from the pensieve as he eyed Theo from across the desk. The Minister had been kind enough to let him view the happenings of that morning through his own memory where he had seen Draco mercilessly torturing his own Father, he had seen his furious rage and it scared the shit out of him. Theo tried not to laugh manically from across the desk as he looked at Lupin's haunted face, he knew what that slightly modified memory would have done to him and it was only one of the first stages in his plan.

Theo was sure that this would plant the seeds of doubt in Lupin's mind about one of his most prized warriors which was exactly what he needed to do. By witnessing this display of Draco's savageness, surely Lupin would begin to rethink where he moved Draco around the board. He was the wild card, he could go one way or the other, but if you turned were against him then you were making a mistake. He was untouchable with his seemingly unlimited power, all that Theo needed to do was to make sure that Draco could be drawn away from Lupin before bringing this power roaring to the surface. He would teach him how to utilise it, therefore creating the greatest weapon he could imagine possessing. Oh yes, Draco would be an asset to have.

Lupin sat forward in his chair and placed a hand under his chin to support his head off the desk as he came to terms with everything. Draco had deliberately gone against his instructions. Draco _knew_ that he was supposed to bring Lucius in and yet he didn't and let his own personal vendetta get in the way. He should've known to bring him in, that way they could confirm that he was the leader of the resistance and retrieve all the necessary information out of him before putting him up for trial which would most certainly result in his _legal_ death. What Draco had done was unjustified murder. Of course being in the position that he was, he was allowed to kill but only as a last resort and in self-defence, however he had ruthlessly tortured and murdered an unarmed man. This wasn't what the Order stood for, in fact it was more of a Death Eater tactic.

Lupin couldn't stand for this. If this got out then people would start shunning the Order and everything they stood for because they killed defenceless wizards and they would show no mercy which would ultimately drive them into supporting the opposite cause. If only Sirius had been smarter about his decision to allow Draco into their ranks, perhaps they wouldn't be in this mess!

"Thank you for showing this to me Minister, I can take it from here." Lupin said formally.

"Of course. Just don't be too hard on Draco, sometimes these talents should be nurtured rather than prohibited. No matter how dark they might be…" Theo advised and Lupin could've sworn he saw Theo's eyes flash a glint of red. Lupin squinted and shook his head to see that the Minister's eyes were the same shade of blue that they always had been. It must've been a trick of the light or simply Lupin's werewolf vision playing tricks on him. Perhaps he'd been too used to seeing his son change his natural colouring too much. Nevertheless, he disregarded it quickly and stood up to shake the Minister's hand before the wizard turned on his heel and left promptly for the Ministry.

Draco was untouchable, there was nothing that could be used against him, nothing that he cared about. Or so they all thought. Theo was willing to try and disprove that theory. There must be _something_ that he could use, otherwise his carefully structured plan would fall to dust. As soon as he got back into his office, he grabbed a quill and parchment and began scribbling down a note to one of his long time accomplices who would do the digging for him. Theo just hoped that they would strike gold.

OOO

Hermione squinted as the curtains were pulled back, allowing the harsh morning light to seep into the bedroom and sting her closed eyelids. She groaned in annoyance and turned over on her side, determined to bury her face into her pillow to shield herself from the light and allow her to return to her dreams. She smiled to herself when she rolled up close to her fiancé instead of the normally empty and colder half of the bed. She didn't think she would ever truly get over the elation that she experienced every day that she woke up next to her wizard.

"Time for Missy to be getting up!" Sung Pinky as she skipped across the bedroom to yank open the other set of curtains, increasing the brightness of their surroundings. It was a beautiful morning in March, at the start of spring and Hermione welcomed it with open arms, deciding that she would spend much more time outside in such glorious weather when she had the chance since it would be all the more healthier for the baby. "Missy Hermione?" The elf asked curiously when she saw no stirring from the lump under the duvets on her Mistress' side of the bed.

"I'll wake her Pinky, but thank you." Came the croaky voice of her Master Draco.

"Yes Master Draco, Pinky be putting Missy's breakfast out in a few minutes." She told him before skipping happily out of the room. Why the elf never bothered to apparate, Draco would never know. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust his eyes to the light before turning over to face his fiancée who was using his body as a shield from the sun. It left one eye exposed to the sun and he could see her perfectly arched eyebrows knitted together as she squinted in her sleep. Draco gently jerked the shoulder that her head was half resting on, trying to wake her.

"Come on you, up you get." He nudged her and received an irritated groan in response. "Quickly dearest, otherwise – Merlin forbid – you'd be late for work and we can't have that can we Milady?" He joked.

"I'm sleeping for two, give me a break." She mumbled.

"That's no excuse." He smiled, propping himself up into a sitting position on the mattress before grasping onto the edges of the covers that his fiancée was clutching to her chest possessively. He yanked it out of her hand swiftly and pulled it away from her body, exposing her to the coolness of the spring morning. "You give me no choice. I shall have to resort to tickling you." He declared.

At his threat her eyes shot open and she jumped out of bed and took a defensive stance, bracing herself for an assault. She dropped it when he started rolling about on the bed laughing in abandon, wishing that she felt nauseous this morning so she could throw up all over him. She folded her arms unimpressed and glared at him as he continued laughing.

"You're cruel and lucky I'm not feeling sick this morning."

"Ah yes, but you love me anyway." He teased.

"Hmm, debateable…" She dismissed it and turned away from him to start rifling through her wardrobe in order to pull out something suitable for work, preferably robes since they were all the better for hiding her condition due to their bagginess. She was out of sorts today, that much she knew for certain. It seemed that all the sleep she had been getting –which, by the way was a rather generous amount – still hadn't been enough for her and baby. Merlin, being pregnant wasn't a walk in the park, but she knew it would all be worth it in the end when she held a baby in her arms.

She pulled her usual robe out of the wardrobe, the Ministry garb that nobody even bothered to wear in the hot clothes she wore underneath however were a different story, her usual work blouses were becoming a little tighter each day around her midsection and she feared that she might have to start wearing a variety of glamour or disillusionment charms soon to try and conceal it a little better. For now however, she was safe, only looking as though she were gaining a little weight.

When she turned around she was met with the sight of his blackened eyes. _Shit._ She'd made him angry. He was using the obvious height difference to try and intimidate her and it wasn't working, she had seen how dangerous he could really be but she knew he would never hurt her. He didn't like it when she would play on his vulnerabilities like that and it made him angry whenever she would. She reached her hands up and wove them around his neck, pulling him into her as she began trying to calm him. Damn her and her stupid mood swings. She didn't mean to make him angry at all.

"I love you." She whispered into his shoulder. That seemed to be the key and she felt him slacken against her, she almost let out a sigh of relief. "You know not to take me seriously when I'm grouchy after waking up." She laughed, running her hands through his hair. He buried his nose into her neck and inhaled deeply before twirling a lock of her hair between his fingers. She didn't really like throwing the word around like it meant nothing because eventually it would lose all of its importance but it was needed right now.

"You'll do well to remember it." He replied cheekily before pecking her cheek."Now get ready because I'm not letting you leave this house without breakfast. Don't forget, you've got two to be thinking about now." He reminded her. When he pulled away she could see that his dazzling silver eyes had returned to their usual colour accompanied by a mischievous glint. There was her wizard. She gave him a peck on his lips before turning to make her way into the bathroom to get washed up. He swatted her behind playfully as she went, before wandering off to go back to bed. She shook her head to herself, he really was the ever mercurial wizard.

He crawled between the sheets again, pulling them over him haphazardly in a tired attempt to get warmer. Yawning loudly, he listened to the audio his fiancée was providing as she hummed whilst brushing her teeth and finally singing softly to herself when she had finished. He smiled to himself, she wasn't a prodigy when it came to singing, in fact most of the time she was horribly off key and yet he loved to hear her sing, just like he loved to hear her talk. With his witch providing him with a soft sort of lullaby, he buried his face into her pillow to shield himself from the light before drifting off into a dream.

As she had predicted, it was rather difficult to pull her fitted blouse over her slightly swelling bump which was odd because it was barely even there however the buttons didn't lie and they were obviously straining to stay fastened over her midsection. Great, she was gaining weight already. Soon enough she would be as big as a whale with fat ankles. She gasped at the realisation but reminded herself that it was all going to be rewarded. Smiling down at her stomach, she patted it lovingly still dazed at the fact that she was going to be a Mother come September if Blinky's estimate was to be believed.

When she emerged from the bathroom, Draco was sound asleep, sprawled out over both sides of the queen-sized bed. She shook her head to herself and kissed his head before making her way downstairs to grab a spot of breakfast before she left for the Ministry.

"Good morning to yous, Mistress Hermione." Blinky chirped. "Where Mistress be taking breakfast?"

"I think I shall take it outside this morning, Blinky. It is a wonderful day after all." She smiled at the elf.

"Will Mistress be having the usual?" He asked. She nodded in response and settled down to a gargantuan breakfast, one which she wouldn't usually indulge in. However, since she was eating for two now, Blinky and Draco had changed what she ate and the amount of it. It were almost as though they wanted her to gain a colossal amount of weight before her pregnancy was up only drawing more attention to herself when she was out and about. She forced down every last bite of food that had been placed before her, telling herself it was for the good of the baby with each mouthful she took before taking her prenatal vitamins as well as what seemed like a pint of cranberry juice. All in all, she felt about ready to explode however, she would rather have her baby fat than malnourished, despite the horrific things that would be done to her body in the process.

She thanked Blinky and Pinky for her food as they took her plate and glass away to be cleaned before heading towards the floo where she would floo back into her other house before heading for the Ministry. It was rather tedious to do every morning but she could be traced back to their Manor which was under Draco's name and by doing so every morning and evening would appear highly suspicious to anybody who might be observing her.

As she set of to work, she was unaware that upstairs, her fiancé was tossing and turning about as he slept. He had enjoyed a peaceful and dreamless sleep after his witch had left their room this morning but then things started to change. It felt as though he were awake and yet his eyes wouldn't open, he had no control over his body. There was no visual behind his eyelids, it was just the black expanse of sleep but he could hear something, the faintest hint of voices which grew and grew until they became barely audible.

_"Stop. Save your energy." _

_There was a heavy and laboured breathing which followed. "I can't." _

_The breathing persisted, shortening again before a deafening scream ripped through the air. _

He finally gained control of his body and his eyes snapped open and he leapt out of bed. The voices, they were familiar, one was male and the other female. He couldn't quite identify them, he couldn't put the voice to the person and it was bugging him immensely. He waited until his breathing had calmed before wiping the sweat from his brow, trying to shake the odd dialogue he had heard from his head. It was probably nothing, some sort of demented nightmare.

Or so he thought.


	38. Chapter 38

___**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

* * *

_**Chapter XXXVIII**_

Hermione hastily lowered her head to the ground as she appeared at the local apparation point in Hogsmeade. It wouldn't do well for her to be spotted out and about on her own. To an outsider, she would have looked entirely conspicuous, standing there wearing a deep blue velvet robe complete with a hood which had been hoisted up over her head to conceal all of her face besides her rosy cupid's bow lips which were slightly parted as she breathed. Her robe had been altered by herself so it now had an empire waist which was completed with a black sash before the skirt flared out towards the floor, hiding all possible traces of her four month pregnancy bump.

She scanned her surroundings, surprised that there were barely any people loitering about Hogsmeade at this time of the morning. Then again, they were in the middle of a war and many businesses in Hogsmeade were crumbling. Nobody had the time or the money to spend on leisurely shopping and so the only thing keeping Hogsmeade afloat was the students from Hogwarts.

Keeping her head bowed, she navigated her way through the snowy paths of Hogsmeade, passing each of the shops that had once been her haven all those years ago during her school years. Life was so simpler back then, when she was little more than a child unknowing that she was on the verge of being thrust into a world of treachery, death, politics and war. She would give anything to have one more day of being a carefree student once more where her biggest worries were her exams or how to keep her two boys out of trouble.

She walked as fast as her legs would allow her, in order to reach her ultimate destination and get her baby out of the cold. She could already feel its discomfort through the slight but frequent flutterings in her stomach which almost made her feel sick, yet she cherished each one of them as she went, trying to resist the urge to cup her swelling belly as she walked. She wasn't too big yet, but she was definitely big enough to be noticed which was why she had taken to wearing full, dark coloured robes wherever she went, hoping that they would do enough to hide her condition for now.

She left Hogsmeade quickly and began up the long country path which would take her to her childhood sanctuary, Hogwarts, but without the shops and houses of Hogsmeade around her to break the wind, it became colder. The exposed, lower halves of her forearms began polka dotting with goosebumps and she had to hold her hood to her head so that the wind didn't blow it off. It wasn't ideal weather for early April but she found that she was enjoying herself since it wasn't often when she would go out. In fact, it seemed that all of her time was spent either at home or the Ministry. She liked being completely alone as she walked, appreciating the natural environment around her. It made her forget about the war as well as all of the pressing matters on her mind concerning her child and she savoured each moment.

She walked along the winding country path until she arrived at the entrance gates. She smiled and was hit with a brief wave of nostalgia. Filch was shouting at many of the students as they all bustled about happily, excited to be going to Hogsmeade. Hermione remembered being just like them. She skirted around the students who took little notice of her, taking her hood down so she didn't appear suspicious so she could see the highest towers of Hogwarts under the blue expanses of sky.

"Excuse me, Miss…?" Came the familiar voice of her favourite professor. Hermione turned around to greet Headmistress McGonagall who was hurrying towards her donned in her usual and proper green and black robes with her traditional witch's hat perched atop her head. Once the Headmistress caught sight of her once favoured student, a smile graced her features. "Miss Granger, it has been a while has it not." She shook her head and smiled.

"It's been too long Professor." Hermione agreed, brushing her curls out of her face. "I know it's incredibly rude of me to turn up unannounced but I needed to speak with you regarding…personal matters…" Hermione stuttered.

"Of course dear, Hogwarts is your home just like it is to all of our students." She turned away and craned her head over the crowd. "Filius! Would you see the students off, I have some business with Miss Granger here." She shouted across the crowd.

"Miss Granger…or should I say Milady? Whatever the case, it is good to see you back at Hogwarts once again." The little wizard bowed to her.

"Please Professors, I'd rather you just call me Hermione." She insisted.

"Of course Hermione, now would you like to discuss whatever brings you here in my office?"

OOO

"Would you like some tea while you're here, Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked. Hermione's eyes widened slightly, she couldn't stand the taste of any kind of tea at the moment since her baby didn't seem to like the taste and made it known to her on multiple occasions.

"No, thank you Professor." She said politely, taking a seat opposite the Headmistress who was perched in the chair once occupied by Dumbledore. He had stepped aside shortly into the war handing the position of Headmistress to McGonagall and taking on her role of Deputy Headmaster so that he could equally divide his time between the Order and Hogwarts.

"I must congratulate you on your position Miss Granger, it's not every day that a witch as young as yourself manages to secure Senior Undersecretary. I would have done so earlier, but it has been years since I have heard from you." She sighed wistfully, pouring her own cup of tea.

"Unfortunately." Hermione agreed. "But as you said, these times are bad indeed and the war has consumed most of my time now." Hermione admitted. McGonagall nodded along and placed the teapot down on the tray before turning to Hermione again.

"So Miss Granger, what is it that I can do for you?" She asked. Hermione fidgeted and knotted her hands in her lap. She had recited what she would say during her walk up to the school but now she couldn't quite manage to get the words out.

"It's going to sound awfully rude Professor, but before I can continue I need to know that you won't let any details of what I'm about to say out to anybody. It could really harm me if it got out."

The older witch eyed Hermione wearily. "My dear, are you in some kind of trouble?"

"No! No, of course not. It's just something which is best kept a secret."

"I understand, you have my word." She promised.

Hermione took a deep and shaky breath. "Professor…I-"

"Call me Minerva, I insist." The older witch interjected.

"Of course…Minvera. Just before the war began, I...fell in love. There were so many complications that would stop me being with him and so for a long time I didn't do anything about it. We both carry high prices on our heads by the Death Eaters and so I was scared that we would be used against each other. Anyway, a year or so ago, we became promised to each other and it was said that we would wait until the war was over until we married. But something happened and…well…I became pregnant…so we decided that perhaps we should get married before the child was born. But nobody knows about us so we didn't know who to ask to marry us, and I wanted to ask you, Prof-Minerva. If you wouldn't mind of course, but I know I can trust you to keep this a secret." Hermione finished. Her hands were shaking in her lap now, afraid of what the older witch might say.

McGonagall clasped her hands together in front of her mouth, marvelling at how incredibly tragic and yet romantic the little tale that Hermione had told sounded. "I would be honoured, Hermione." She finally spoke, causing Hermione to look up to her old Professor through teary eyes. "I have a few questions first, however."

"Ask away." Hermione replied.

"Who is this young gentleman?" The curious Headmistress asked. Hermione flinched, knowing that the old witch was in for the shock of her life. The corner of Hermione's mouth twitched into a sort of smile before she spoke.

"Draco Malfoy." She said shyly as her cheeks flushed with colour. As predicted, the Headmistress was flabbergasted she sat back in her chair with her hand on her chin, appearing to be in deep thought.

"What an unexpected turn of events." She announced. "It's understandable of course…but good Godric…that was rather a surprise!" She chuckled to herself.

"I know, who would've thought, right? It makes it easier to conceal at least but with this little bombshell-" She looked down at her stomach and smoothed her dress over it to reveal the slight curving of a bump before patting it lovingly. "-things might not stay hidden for too much longer, which is what I'm dreading." She said worriedly.

"Poppy knows some excellent charms that will keep it concealed for you." She offered. Hermione looked in shock at her old Professor. "It isn't as though we haven't had our fair share of unprepared young mothers here at Hogwarts over the years." She chuckled mischievously.

"Really?! But the books…" Hermione trailed off.

"You didn't really think we'd allow them to publish that did you?" She grinned. "Now anyway, about this little ceremony, when is it taking place?"

"We're hoping for as soon as possible really. I don't know when Draco is going to be ordered away from me again nor do I know how long for." She sighed. McGonagall's heart went out for the poor girl, since she too had had her fair share of heartache over her lifetime. "We're just going to elope really, in all sense of the word. Nobody will know outside the three of us and eventually our baby."

"You do realise, dear, I can't get outside of Scotland." The Headmistress said grimly. She was right, because of the war, Theo had put tight restrictions over apparation over country borders and only the authorities could be granted access which was why Hermione managed to get into Hogsmeade in the first place.

"I do, which was why I was hoping we could do it here. Of course I understand that you can't leave Hogwarts and after all, this place was once my home and means a lot to me. We don't care for the location, the decoration or the detail…we just want to be married."

"I'd be proud to marry the two of you, my dear." McGonagall nodded as she spoke, biting the inside of her cheek to stop herself from crying. For Hermione it was already too late and the floodgates burst, she could blame it on pregnancy hormones if need be but for now anything she did say would be incoherent over her sobbing. Her old Headmistress rose from her chair and embraced the crying witch whilst letting a tear of her own escape unknowingly.

McGonagall had never had children of her own, and so she felt maternal instincts over all of her students and sometimes she saw them as her own. Hermione however had always held a special place in her heart for if she were ever to have had a child, she would be everything like the little witch crying in her arms because when McGonagall looked at Hermione, she saw her younger self. And even though Draco Malfoy had been a difficult boy during his school years, McGonagall would gladly accept him if Hermione loved him and he took care of her.

OOO

Hermione stood in front of the floor length mirror in her parents' old bedroom as the last of the daylight was engulfed by the darkness of the night. She hadn't moved for about fifteen or so minutes, eyeing her reflection in the mirror. If only her parents could be here to see her now, off to get married. If they were alive she would have told them, she would have wanted her Mother fawning over her dress and hair as well as the little grandchild that she carried. She would have wanted her Father to give her away at the short and sweet ceremony that would consist of only three people. She would've wanted them to be here to give her their blessing but it could not be. They were dead. Perhaps wherever they were, they were watching her. Perhaps they were with her right now and she just didn't know it. Or maybe she just pretended that they were there so she didn't feel alone.

Tonight was the night. The night that they were going to elope.

"Mistress, yous looking so pretty!" Pinky sobbed as she put the finishing touched to Hermione's hair. Hermione smiled at her little elf as her big eyes misted over again. Pinky turned away and fetched the dark blue, floor length cloak that she was to wear over her dress. Partially for warmth, since the long lace sleeves would be a little chilly in the coolness of the Scottish nights and partially to keep her hidden from anybody who might see.

She took one last look at her dress before Pinky draped the cloak over her shoulders and buttoned the singular button at the front. Her dress wasn't new, she didn't see the need to go out and buy an extravagant dress if nobody were going to see it, besides she'd rather go for a more traditional approach and so she had altered her Mother's old wedding dress which had been stored in the attic for almost 30 years. It had needed some alterations to bring it up to the times as well as some loosening around the midriff to allow her protruding belly to get into the garment.

It was ivory in colour since going for a virginal white would be a little silly considering her condition, with a double v-neck which on the front, covered her modestly whilst showing a little skin below her neck while the back dipped quite low, ending towards the middle of her back, exposing all of the skin there. The sleeves were long and made of lace, and were altered so that they fitted closely to her arms to rid them of the bagginess that had been the 70's trend when her parents had wed. They had brought the waistline up so it was now had an empire waist allowing her more comfort with her small bump which was just visible through the loose and flowing skirts. There wasn't a train, since Hermione, much like her Mother before her had opted for simplicity over extravagance and she had also chosen not to have the veil either, since she was wearing a cloak.

Pinky had insisted on doing her hair and so Hermione had given her free reign over her wild and unruly curls and surprisingly, she had done an exquisite job. All of her bangs had been swept away from her face and piled up high in an elegant knot towards the top of her head, whilst the under layers of her hair had been tamed, the frizzes had been smoothed out and Pinky had managed to force them into soft little ringlets that fell down her back. Pinky had applied some light makeup making her look a little brighter and definitely more attractive and Hermione honestly didn't recognise herself. She patted her small bump affectionately before the sound of the floo roaring to life alerted her downstairs.

She grabbed onto her skirts and dashed down the stairs and into the lounge where the silhouette of her soon-to-be-husband was brushing himself off. She leapt into his arms and began smothering his face in kisses. They had been apart only a day and yet she still missed him as if he had been gone for weeks. He gently set her down and tilted her chin up so that he could look upon her face properly and he almost lost his breath once she showed him her dress. A smug sense of pride washed over him when he gazed upon her swollen belly, knowing that _he_ was the one that put it there. She was, as they say, glowing with her impending motherhood and Draco was in half a mind whether or not to keep her this way.

"Ready to go and legitimise our child?" He teased.

"What a romantic way of putting it." She rolled her eyes. "But yes I am ready, are you?"

He pulled the hood of his own black cloak over his head, hiding his trademark silvery blond hair from her view. "Dearest, I've been ready for years." He replied, before kissing the tip of her nose and pulling her own hood up over her carefully constructed hairdo. "You look positively exquisite, you know that?"

"It may have been mentioned, and you don't look so bad yourself you know." She said playfully.

"So I've been told. Although, I still prefer you without any clothes on at all when you're sporting the thoroughly shagged look." He remarked which earned him a slap to the shoulder. When he had finished laughing at his soon-to-be-wife, he curled an arm around her delicate little waist with the tips of his fingers grazing the side of her bump. She took out her wand in order to apparate when he yanked it out of her hands and tucked it away inside his own cloak. "There's no way you're apparating in this condition, so let me do the honours." He smiled as she huffed in annoyance, pulling her into him, he latched his lips onto hers and apparated wordlessly into Hogsmeade.

OOO

Headmistress McGonagall, Blinky and Pinky were waiting for them in the Clock Tower Courtyard, standing in front of the fountain as they had previously arranged. The darkness was shrouding them from any onlookers who might be watching as they each took down their hoods. There was no romantic setting under the moonlit sky, in fact the moon and stars were shrouded tonight by the thick grey cloud that blanketed the sky above them. The only noise to be heard was the trickling of water in the fountain behind them and each of their breathing.

"Declare yourselves." McGonagall began, drawing her wand out of her robes as Draco handed Hermione back her wand and took his own in hand.

"I am Draco Lucius Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy and leader of the war effort."

"I am Hermione Jean Granger, daughter of Richard and Anne Granger and Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic."

McGonagall nodded and they both pocketed their wands. "Join your hands." They turned towards each other and took each other's hands. She smiled a sweet smile at him which he returned without thought. "The commitment of marriage is binding. The Wizarding World is strengthened or weakened on the success or failure of its most basic bonds, those of family, of partners. To fail in this commitment is to fail Wizard kind. You will cleave to one another. You will forsake all others. You will produce children that you will raise up to be worthy members of the Magical Community. You will do this together. Are you agreed?" They both turned to McGonagall and nodded eagerly, she gave them both a small smile in return. "Mr Malfoy, the ribbon if you will."

Without releasing Hermione's hands from his own, he summoned the ribbon from the pocket to his dress robes and kept it levitated in front of McGonagall. It was an old Wizarding custom to include the binding of the hands in the wedding ceremony. The ribbon was chosen by the groom which would be used to bind the hands and then once the vows had been said, the ribbon's magical properties would jump to life and would produce two rings, unique to the married couple. No wedding ribbon was exactly alike.

The ribbon that Draco had chosen had not been bought, but had been painstakingly hand crafted by his two devoted house elves. As they had made the ribbon, they had woven every magical protection enchantment that Draco wanted into the fabric of the ribbon so that once the ribbon turned into rings, the protective enchantments would be bound to the gold itself and they would never be removed. It was a silver coloured ribbon, and the stitching on either side of the ribbon looked ivory like her dress but she couldn't tell due to the darkness.

McGonagall waved her wand and the ribbon wove itself around their hands until there was no possible way that either of them could even move a finger. Then the two ends of the ribbon magically joined so that the ribbon was never ending.

"State your vows." McGonagall ordered. "Hermione, you first."

"Where do I begin…" She chuckled nervously. "Draco, I love you. And when I say that I love you I mean that everything within me, from the most analytical thoughts complete with pro/con lists, to the fluttering and the butterflies and the little voice inside my mind tell me that I could want nothing more than to start building a life with you." She took a deep and shaky breath trying to blink back the tears that were threatening to surface. "I cannot wait to become your wife, and to start a family with you," She continued, glancing down at her little bump lovingly, before becoming lost in the silvery depths of Draco's eyes once more. "to share my life with you until we are old and grey and surrounded by our children. I promise you my deepest love, my fullest devotion, my most tender care, through the pressures of the present and the uncertainties of the future, I promise to be faithful to you. I promise to love you, to commit to you, and support you. I pledge to respect your unique talents and abilities, to lend you strength for all of your dreams. You have shown me what love feels like and for that I thank you." She finished, sniffling slightly as tears trickled down her cheeks. The ribbon that bound their hands was glowing golden as the magic worked.

"I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you. I had been told to live my life in a certain way, my future had already been mapped out for me and I couldn't even lift a finger in protest. But then I befriended everyone who was supposed to be the enemy, I fought for the opposite cause and that's how I came to get to know you like I do. You make me a better person, everything that was once impossible now seems possible because I know I've got you beside me and no matter what this life, and this war throws at us that we can conquer it. You and me, together and eventually our baby and any other children we would be blessed to have. It was a long road, Hermione, but we finally got here despite what we both thought and though the rest of the future is unclear, we've made it this far and I don't intend to stop now. I promise you that I will love you with every fibre of my being, I will comfort you, I will be faithful to you, cherish you and protect you from everything and anything that threatens you or our family. You're the only other woman I've loved or will love and I promise you that I will love you until the last breath leaves my body." He finished and saw that she was crying and smiling at him. Even McGonagall had tears in her eyes, she knew if anybody could take care of Hermione and her baby it was Draco and even though she had doubted him as a boy, she had no qualms about him now.

The ribbon glowed bright gold, illuminating their faces and breaking through the darkness of the night. It glowed at a brighter intensity before vanishing completely. Now, sitting on the third finger of her left hand sat a beautifully unique ring and the ribbon couldn't have got it more right. Hermione wasn't really a diamonds sort of girl, she thought them far too overused and so, on her finger sat a band of white gold which split off into two different strands which interwove around each other, extending out around the centre of the ring where a dazzling white opal was encased by smaller diamonds. Draco's was made of the same white gold but was thicker than hers, there were the same two bands that interwove around each other although there were no gaps between where the two intersected like there were on Hermione's and on each band was a line of tiny diamonds which went around the entire ring in addition to a larger diamond that sat central to the ring. What Hermione didn't know was that the diamond in Draco's ring and the opal in hers were connected in more ways than she thought possible. The ribbon that the elves had made couldn't have been more perfect.

"Draco Lucius and Hermione Jean, I now declare you bonded for life, and I personally would like to wish the two of you a very long and happy marriage." McGonagall smiled. Draco wasted no time, and curled his arm around his wife's waist. It was so good to finally be able to call her wife and now he was about to kiss his wife for the first time in their marriage. He moulded his lips to hers and then they were seemingly lost to the world, wrapped up in each other's love. Everything was perfect.

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_Hey guys, so I was a little unsure about this chapter. The wedding ceremony was actually made up as I went along and because there are literally thousands of Dramione weddings which are all the same out there, I wanted something completely different although I'm quite proud of the ribbon thing if I do say so myself. It took me ages to try and think of someone who could marry them both because obviously they wanted to keep it a secret and all, but you need a witch or wizard to do it and then McGonagall just popped into my mind. After a little deliberation I managed to swap some things about in the plot line and so we will be seeing some more of McGonagall since she's now the only other person who knows about them._


	39. Chapter 39

_Hey guys, it's Saturday, yet again! Oh, I love Saturdays. But sadly I can only give you one update this weekend since I've been on holiday all week and haven't had time to write ahead as far as I would have liked. I haven't even finished Chapter 45! That's how close it's getting! I promise I'll try and write like a maniac next week as well as the remainder of the weekend to speed ahead again but no promises. So this is your lot, and personally, the last half is one of my favourite parts of the story so far. _

_A little warning too, we will have some lemony goodness to start off this chapter. Can't very well write a D/Hr wedding without the wedding night eh? *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* and I've thrown in some fluff too. You may as well call me __**McFluffin**.__ Anyway, time for quiet now since the chapter is beginning. *gasp*_

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**_Chapter XXXIX_**

They had thanked McGonagall gratefully after their ceremony was over. Hermione promised to be in touch and keep McGonagall up to date with the baby's welfare since she was the only person besides Draco who knew about it and so it would be good to talk to someone from time to time. They had fled Hogwarts in haste with their hoods pulled up over their heads as they both ran towards the boundary of the wards, hand in hand. Draco disapparated as soon as he could no longer feel himself being prohibited from apparating by the Hogwarts wards, tugging Hermione through the vortex of apparation with him as he went landing directly in their bedroom at the Manor.

He pulled her by her hand, causing her to tumble into him where he caught her lips with his own. Whilst he was busy with her lips, his hands wandered to the fastening of his cloak, unbuttoning it and catching it as it fell before flinging it onto an armchair close by. Then he reached for hers and unfastened it, it fell from her shoulders and pooled around the hem of her dress.

Usually he would've taken his time with such frivolities such as undressing but he wanted to be inside his wife and he wanted to be inside her now. He tugged his wand out of his pocket and vanished their clothes from their bodies before dropping his wand to the pile of clothes beside them and pulling his wife back into his arms so that he could feel the swell of their child against his own stomach.

Her previously dormant libido jumped to life at the moment that she felt his proud erection poking her in the stomach as his hands left delicious trails of fire all over her body. She hadn't felt this rowdy since puberty. At least this time around she could do something about it. The familiar throbbing between her legs signalled the start of what she was hoping would be a very long and very pleasurable night with her new husband.

She pushed him down on their bed and climbed eagerly after him, straddling his hips where she could feel his length pressed up against her womanhood. She circled her hips wantonly but was taken by surprise when he flipped them both over and captured both of her dainty wrists in his hand, the coolness of his wedding ring sending shivers up and down her spine. He could see her struggling with her lust, and just because he could, he was going to torment her with it else their wedding night would be over rather quickly.

He kissed her again with an agonising tenderness as she writhed for some form of friction beneath him which he wouldn't give her. He could feel her pressing her thighs together to find some kind of relief. His eyes darkened, if she was going to get any relief then it was going to be by him. He forced his free hand between her legs and began rolling his thumb over her little bud of nerves whilst teasing her folds with his other fingers.

She was in heaven, had sex always felt this good? She worried her lip with her teeth as she rocked her hips against his ministrations allowing the occasional gasp to escape her lips. Her head was rolling about frantically on the bedspread as she got closer and closer to her peak. She was shaking with her impending orgasm, the fire in her belly was concentrating into that one sweet spot, she could feel the delicious build-up of-

"No!" She almost screamed when she felt him halt all movement between her legs. Her upper lip twitched in anger and she felt a newfound strength rise up in her. She struggled wildly against him trying to reach her most private parts in fear of losing the beautiful promise of what was yet to come. She could already feel the sensations dying, if she was quick enough perhaps she could resurface them. She managed to free one wrist from his hold and roughly grabbed her husband by his hair. "If you don't finish what you started then I will." She growled.

"Be my guest, _wife._" He tormented.

"In fact, I don't need to do it myself. I'm pretty sure I can get a few other people to do what you're unwilling to do. Perhaps Justin will help me out?" She said thoughtfully and watched as his eyes turned black with his rage.

"You wouldn't." He laughed it off.

"Oh but I would, _husband._ You see, these pregnancy hormones are all over the place and if the mood strikes me…what can a witch do?" She was so getting off on riling him up and she was almost squealing in anticipation at the good seeing to he was going to give her. He recaptured her wrists roughly and came nose to nose with her. With his free hand he grabbed onto her chin to keep her looking at him.

"No! You will never touch another man, you will never look at another man and you will never even think about another man except me. You are mine." He snarled possessively and she daringly twisted her head and licked his hand, taking his finger into her mouth, sucking, licking, biting. She watched as the lust in his eyes made itself known, she could feel his hard length probing into her skin and she wanted him in. Now.

He jerked his hand away from her mouth and began roughly kissing his way down towards her exposed chest, taking a nipple into his mouth. Biting and suckling as she whined in pleasure and triumph at his roughness. She was sick of being treated as though she were going to break, was it all so bad that she wanted to fuck rather than to make love on her wedding night? She didn't think so. His free hand wandered up to cup her other neglected breast, tugging and pulling, giving it the same harsh treatment as he was with his mouth. She found it incredibly arousing and vowed to get her husband angry more often because this was just divine.

He left her breasts quickly and made his way down to her legs, wrenching them apart abruptly making her groan. He pulled back away from her again, she could see his eyes staring wantonly at her dewy core. Before she could egg him on again, he descended attacking her centre with the sweetest torture, his mouth latched onto her swiping and probing in all the right places. He had let go of her wrists now and had used both of his hands to keep her in place by circling his arms around her thighs and pulling them to him. He buried his tongue inside of her and she cried out, clawing at the sheets as he fucked her with his mouth.

"Oh _Gods_…just like that…" She chanted. His anger had long died down once the taste of his wife had calmed him, she wanted it rough and who was he to deny her what she wanted? He brought her up to the edge _again_, and purposely left her hanging…_again_. She let out a feral scream and with all of her might, she pinned him down onto the bed beneath her and placed a hand around his throat to stop him from moving. She impaled herself upon him and they both groaned loudly at the feeling of being joined again. She began riding him for her own pleasure as he watched her in abandon. She was beautiful.

"I need you to do it." She gasped as she used her free hand to bring his unoccupied hand to her breast. "I need you to fuck me, please husband." She pleaded and a sense of manly pride washed over him. Only he could take her to new heights. Nobody could make her feel the way that he did. He pried her hand from around his neck and moved his hands to secure a hold on either side of her hips. She leant back and supported herself by placing her hands on his thighs, lifting herself up just a little bit more.

Suddenly, he began moving with a precise slowness inside of her. She let her head fall back as her mouth fell open in absolute ecstasy, the promised pleasure from earlier returning as quickly as it had vanished. She could feel the tip of him bumping her cervix and she began clenching him purposely to encourage him more. The sounds of their heavy pants and cries before she screamed her way into her first orgasm of the night.

By no means at all was it her last. Far from it.

OOO

Their wedding night would be henceforth referred to the night of six times, for him anyway, he was sure that hers doubled that amount at least. He was good at what he did. They enjoyed each other for little more than a week because then, things started to go wrong. There was a betrayer in the Order, somebody fairly high up since all of their raids were being countered and prepared. The Death Eaters seemed to know which bases were the least protected and managed to foil the Order's plans at every turn. Lupin suspected Draco, although he didn't make his opinions known, Draco could tell by the difference in his demeanour towards him. It didn't really bother him much, since he was busy in his work with Harry to track down Bellatrix. She needed to die and he would see to it personally if need be.

However finding her would prove to be difficult and it had taken them almost a month so far and they had no significant leads. They were at a loss, the Order was losing and there was nothing that they could do about it. They needed to identify their betrayer but whoever it was covered their tracks well. The only thing that kept him sane nowadays was his wife and their child who was growing bigger by the day. She had reached her 22nd week with no problems so far besides the constant annoyance of having to pee too much and the craving for bizarre foods, mostly meat actually. That child ate more than a Weasley.

But the two of them had discovered a perk to the connection between their rings in addition to the charms that he had had put into the ribbon when it was made. It allowed them to feel strong emotions of the other, bringing them even closer together when they could feel their love. Aside from that, it made their magical auras known to the other, it served as excellent foreplay when he stroked her magic with his own because he could feel how she felt through his ring. She had made a contribution and cast a Protean charm on their rings so if ever they were apart from each other, they could send a short message to one another inconspicuously which would come in handy when he was called upon by the Order again.

His sleep was suffering more often than not nowadays. There was a dream that didn't seem to subside which was worrying him. There was still no picture in the dream, just the voices, but each time he had the dream things were becoming a little clearer, however it was still a mystery to him. There was always the male's voice trying to calm the distressed female, something he was completely oblivious about. It was unnerving.

On this particular night, he didn't have that dream but awoke to a feeling of edginess. He squinted allowing himself to adjust to his surroundings before trying to find the source of the feeling. He could feel it through his ring so it must've been coming from Hermione. When he checked her over, he noticed that she was fast asleep on her back, facing him slightly. Shrugging his shoulders to himself, he lay back down, resting himself up on one elbow as he gazed at his wife's belly, swollen with his child.

Surely it was coming from her? She would have to sleep on her back or on her side, neither of which she particularly liked because her growing belly stopped her from sleeping on her front. Then she got too big to snuggle up against him because her belly got in the way, preventing the closeness. He felt sorry for her but she had no choice and so had to plead with him to spoon her whilst she tried to sleep, otherwise she would toss and turn for hours. He would know since he had to endure it for endless nights.

Draco's heart filled with pride and love at the sight of his beautiful family. He sighed to himself happily before collapsing back onto the pillow and closing his eyes. A few minutes later, he felt it again, a distant feeling of anxiety, maybe even fear emanating from his wedding ring. It tugged at his heart. He searched his wife's magical aura trying to find the source of the feeling until his eyes fell on her belly. It was coming from there, but why?

Draco shuffled down on the bed until he was level with his wife's stomach. He drew back the blankets carefully and rolled up her night dress exposing everything below her belly to the cool night air. The sight of their baby almost brought tears to his eyes, as it always did, although not in front of his wife. The perfect little life that the two of them had created together, growing ever stronger and bringing light to their lives in such a dark age.

Hermione had been patient overall with her pregnancy. She knew that there were obvious annoyances that she was going to have to deal with but he knew that she didn't mind one bit because when he caught her alone talking or singing to their baby, he knew that she could have wanted for nothing more and he was flooded with pride for having given it to her despite the Healers telling her that it was very unlikely that it should ever happen. She had been understanding with him too, he had been quite sceptical on occasion with his probing questions, each of which she had answered truthfully because she didn't want to keep this miracle all to herself. She wanted him to experience the pregnancy every step of the way with her, she encouraged him to feel it all.

He had taken her encouragement and had come home to her sleeping one night. He had rolled up her nightgown like he had now, and had spoken in gentle loving whispers to their baby. She had woken up accidentally to him touching her belly and he had blushed like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. She had smiled at him and motioned for him to continue whilst she went back to sleep, leaving him to bond with his baby.

Draco stared at Hermione's stomach for a while, trying to see if he could sense that feeling that had woken him. He found it again with ease, although he could've sworn that it was directed at him personally which made him confused for a moment. He placed a gentle hand upon Hermione's stomach and lowered his mouth so that it was close to her skin.

"What's the matter with you, huh?" He questioned softly. "You're supposed to be growing, sleeping and kicking in there. Mommy and Daddy will do all of the worrying. You just make sure you have two arms and two legs and we can take it from there." He smiled, imagining what his child might look like. Would it have a brown frizzy mane and silver eyes? Or perhaps an unruly bush of silvery hair and brown cinnamon eyes. The possibilities were endless.

He watched her stomach with an absorbed interest until a little bulge appeared close to her belly button, and quickly disappeared. Draco's eyes widened in curiosity. It wasn't the first time that their child had kicked, in fact he had felt it several times through her clothes but never had he seen it through her naked flesh. Another bump appeared, accompanied by another surge of uneasiness from his ring and Draco's brow furrowed. Why was his baby upset? It made him feel helpless, surely such a young child shouldn't be feeling such emotions yet?

"What is it precious?" He asked, shuffling closer protectively. "Don't tell Mommy I called you that, she could get jealous." He chuckled to himself. "I still don't know if you're a boy or a girl yet, Mommy said she wants it to be a surprise even though Daddy wanted to know." He huffed slightly. "But you're still my precious, either way." He began absent-mindedly tracing light patterns over Hermione's stomach before he felt another wave of fear. "I'm scared too you know. Scared of so many things." He whispered. "I feel guilty too, because the world we're bringing you into is ugly and evil. It's no place for a happy little baby like you." He sighed again. "This war is driving me insane, and I'm not sure for how long I'll be able to hold on. The only thing I've got now is you and Mommy, the light in my dark existence." He confessed, sneaking a look at his sleeping wife, unaware of his confessions. "So don't you ever get leaving me, for nothing would ever matter to me again if I lost the two of you." He bent down and kissed Hermione's stomach for good measure, collecting his emotions which he had so carelessly let slip in the presence of his child. He would be wise not to do so again, he didn't want to scare it.

"I'm a lucky wizard. I've finally had a chance to feel useful in this pregnancy since your poor Mommy is doing all of the work. She loves you very much you know and so does Daddy and when you're born Daddy's going to take care of you, he'll protect you and nobody will _ever_ hurt you and Mommy and you'll never be alone, you'll never feel unloved…like I did…" He sighed to himself "Go to sleep now, precious. If you need Daddy, he'll be right here beside you, always." He reassured Hermione's tummy. In response a series of bulges appeared and Draco smiled at his excited child. When one bulge stayed for longer than the others, Draco leaned over and kissed it. A wave of happiness swamped him from the ring and he knew that his precious was happy. Tears began to fill his eyes as he lovingly gazed upon Hermione's swollen stomach. He didn't want to go back to sleep now, he wanted to talk to his baby some more.

"We still don't have a name for you." He whispered. "I don't know about Mommy, but I've been thinking up some names. It would probably help if she would let Blinky tell me if you were a boy or a girl." He scowled at his wife. "Perhaps you could help me out on that one." He said slyly. "Kick once for yes and twice for no. Are you a girl?"

A few seconds later, one huge bulge appeared under Hermione's skin.

Draco's face lit up. "A baby girl! You're a girl, I knew it! Although, your Mommy is still convinced that you're a boy. Well, even the brightest witch of her age has got to be wrong sometimes." He sniggered to himself. All the things he could do with his baby girl. He would teach her how to fly a broom, how boys are gross and most importantly how to be a sneaky Slytherin like her dear old Dad before her Mother's Gryffindor genes corrupted her. Life would be good. "Daddy's little girl."

Two kicks. Draco froze and then frowned.

"No? So you're my baby boy then?"

Two kicks again.

"Are you a girl then?" He asked in confusion.

One kick.

"What is this? You can't be a girl and a boy at the same time." He chuckled to himself.

No answer.

"I see." Draco feigned annoyance. "I may not know whether you're a boy or a girl but I do know that you're a little Slytherin already. Mommy's going to love it when you're sorted into Slytherin, I'm sure you'll have us both wrapped around your little finger." He shook his head amusedly. "I'll love you anyway. I like a sense of humour in people, in fact I think you get that from me, your Mommy tends to think she's funny but she's really not." He whispered reaching out over his wife's belly, drawing a line, pressing down slightly. When he moved his hand away, he saw a bulge underneath drawing in the same spot where he had. He tried several more, which were all repeated by his baby.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing, he knew that everything within him already loved the little being inside his wife and he could feel it being returned through his ring, the same desperate need. A family. A normal, functional family. He belonged at last. He had created the start of his own legacy, something that would live on after he died and carry him with them always.

"Merlin, I can't wait to meet you, little precious. The minute I hold you I will smother your face in little tiny kisses once your Mommy decides to let you go." He chuckled before resting his head on Hermione's stomach. "We wanted you for so long and I loved you from the minute that she told me you were coming. Never forget that little one. I'll need you for as long as I live, just like I will with your Mommy too. I'll try not to fail you, like my Father failed me, but I know myself too well and I know I'll do something that will cause you to turn against me. I get that from my Father and I do hope that you won't get it from me."

Just then, he felt from inside his wife, a pressure against his cheek. He closed his eyes and revelled in the contact. His baby and him were touching, separated through only a few layers of skin and flesh. He kissed his baby once more before crawling back up the bed and gathering his wife into his arms and spooning her.

"Draco?" Hermione questioned through a groggy voice. "Darling, what's wrong?" Draco's needy mood disappeared instantly. His wife was awake now, and as much as he loved her, he wasn't ready to appear so vulnerable in front of her just yet.

"Nothing dearest, I'm perfect." He replied kissing her neck. She sighed happily and nuzzled into his arms, unable to fall back asleep because of the restlessness of her baby kicking in her stomach.

"Draco?" Hermione asked again.

"What is it dearest?" He replied.

"Don't you think we need to think of some names for the baby soon?"

"I was just thinking the same thing. What will we call her then?" Draco asked.

Hermione bit her lip. "_Her?_"

She felt Draco nod behind her. "Yes, our daughter."

Hermione giggled. "Darling, I think it's a boy."

Draco shook his head playfully. "Oh Hermione…how misguided you are my dear."

Hermione turned around so that she was nose to nose with her husband. "No, Draco, it's my mother's intuition that I'm carrying a boy." She protested.

"Yes but the thing is dearest that I'm never wrong. I doubt that it's going to change." He retorted.

Hermione shook her head. "I thought that Malfoys always had boys first?"

"I think I've gone against more Malfoy tradition than humanly possible, one more shouldn't hurt." He grinned. "Besides, it's up to the fathers what the sex of the baby is and I told my sperm to make it a girl."

"I know better than to take you seriously." She sighed. "But if it helps you sleep at night, then we're having a girl. Even though I know that it's a boy." She added quietly.

Draco held up his hands in mock defeat. "Okay, okay. So how about this…we're having twins." He announced.

Hermione gasped. "Don't even joke about that, I could never handle two babies! Let alone two of _your_ babies."

Draco chuckled and nudged her nose with his own. "Fine. We'll give one away." He joked.

Hermione slapped her husband's shoulder . "I would have a thousand children and never give one away!" She declared.

"Dearest, you know I was only joking with you."

Hermione sniffed. "No. It seems that I can't trust you with my child."

"_Our_ child, dearest. I'm worth 50% in there and don't you forget it." He growled assertively, pulling her closer to him.

"Merlin forbid." She rolled her eyes. "I still can't believe I'm going to be a Mommy. I never imagined it at all and I'm so excited." She beamed.

"Neither did I." Draco trailed off, remembering when he was a boy that he would never have children simply to defy his Father. "To be a Daddy, I mean." He corrected bashfully. Hermione smiled and gave her husband a kiss on his lips. "So what are we going to name our twins?" He grinned.

"Draco!" Hermione scolded.

"Alright! What are we going to name our _son_?"

"Say what you will Malfoy. I _know_ that we're going to have a son."

"Sure dearest, whatever you want. Just don't get too disappointed when I'm right. And don't call me Malfoy, you know what that does to me and I'm sure we're both too tired for that now."

"It's not what I want, darling, it's what I know." She corrected him. "I am the brightest witch of our age after all. You'd do well not to question me." She huffed.

"That's what I meant darling. You should know by now that what I say and what I mean are two different things entirely."

"When we have our boy, I want you to name him-"

"Draco Malfoy Jr.? Of course dearest, you only had to ask." Draco grinned whilst his wife laughed hysterically. "I guess you're right, once the whole shock about our scandalous marriage dies down I think that the people would agree that one Draco Malfoy is enough." He sighed wistfully.

"So what will it be?" Hermione asked.

"Since it's family tradition and all the children after constellations, I was thinking-"

"Oh goodness, nothing good can come of this." Hermione giggled.

"Shush you. Anyway, I was thinking and I really like the name Scorpius."

"Scorpius? Scorpius Malfoy?" Hermione tested. "Scorpius _Draco_ Malfoy. I like it." She beamed. "Our son."

"You do realise that we're both going to have to resign once they're born?" Draco sighed.

"Surely there must be a way for you at least…hold on…_they_?" She asked, shocked.

"The Malfoy twins." He grinned.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine I'll play along, but I want to name our girl."

"Well it has to be a name to correspond with Scorpius, we can't name our daughter something like…Hildegard…" He shuddered.

"Scorpius and Hildegard?" Hermione asked horrified.

"Exactly." Draco affirmed. "It would be terrible, our daughter would hate us forever."

"I like the name-" She began.

"Hang on!" Draco shouted. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him and he smirked. "Okay carry on."

"What was that for?" She asked.

"Well I was scared of what atrocious name you were going to come up with." He smirked.

"Fine, I guess you'll never know." She huffed, turning away from him and snuggling down into her pillow.

"No, I was joking! Please tell me." He pouted.

"Goodnight Draco." She laughed to herself.

"You're no fun, but I love you anyway." He whispered into her neck.

"I love you too." She whispered back, before allowing sleep to claim her.


	40. Chapter 40

___**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

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**___Chapter XL_**

Hermione sat idly opposite her husband at the breakfast table, staring blankly at the food that had been placed before her. She couldn't eat it. Her stomach was twisting in occasional violent surges that made her feel sick. She was nervous. The day had finally come where Draco had been called away from her again and she didn't quite know when he would be back. If Lupin had anything to do with this then it could be far longer than either of them anticipated. She didn't want him to go. She hated it when he left, knowing that there was the slight possibility that he would never come back.

"Hermione, please eat something. The baby needs _her_ strength." Draco pleaded from across the table as he watched he in concern.

"The baby needs _his_ Father." She replied quietly before she lost all composure and broke down right there at the breakfast table. Having her hormones raging didn't help matters at all either. Her brow furrowed and she buried her face into her hands to try and muffle her sobs. Draco was at her side in an instant, with his arms wrapped protectively around her as she continued to cry. "I wish you didn't have to go." She whispered.

"I wish I didn't have to either, dearest. But they need me. First off we've got to follow up all leads concerning Bellatrix before finding her. Then we've got to counteract any attacks that might occur and see if we can discover who's leading them now. And finally, Lupin wants me to see if I can find the traitor."

"Is it really that bad?" She asked, horrified.

He nodded grimly. "Indeed. We're going down, and quickly." It was harsh to put it like that, but it was the whole truth and he hated lying to her. She didn't reply to him, but instead her grip on his sleeve tightened as her shoulders shook at an increased rate. "Don't you see? That's all the more reason why I have to go. We need to fight back and show the Death Eaters that the Order and Ministry aren't forces to be reckoned with."

"I think if they were going to take the hint, they would have done so three years ago darling." She replied.

"I know." He soothed rubbing her shoulders up and down. "But I'm going to do everything in my power to try and make this world a better place for the arrival of our baby."

"I have no doubt that you won't, but it doesn't make letting you go any easier."

"Yes, but at least this time I can talk to you while I'm away." He said, trying to lighten the mood as he found her wedding ring on her left hand and held it in front of her face. "Make sure that nobody sees this in the Ministry." He warned. "There are some shady characters in there that aren't exactly friendly."

"I was going to put it on a chain around my neck whilst I'm at work." She assured him.

"Always prepared." He winked and patted her hand lovingly. "Take care whilst I'm gone too, I will ask Blinky and Pinky on my return whether or not you've been looking after yourself."

"You take care of yourself first. Don't worry about us, we're safe and so unimportant for now. Just make sure you come home to me…I don't know what I'd do without you." She whispered shakily.

"I know, dearest. I know. Now would you like to see me off? I have a portkey waiting." He declared which only made her stomach churn again.

"Do you know where they're sending you?" She asked in desperation.

He shook his head. "I won't know until I arrive, for security reasons. I will let you know once I'm safe though, I promise."

Her throat tightened and she nodded her head as she stood from the breakfast table. He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and brushed his thumb across her knuckles soothingly as they walked. He could feel her anxiety through his ring and it made him all the more reluctant to leave. So much worrying and distress surely couldn't be good for the baby's health? He wondered if this was how she felt every time that if he left, if so he felt positively awful for putting her through this torture. But this time, she had to do it with a baby. He was only glad he couldn't read her thoughts as he was sure they would leave him with a headache or failing that, heartache.

They walked down the long path outside the front of the house, lined with the ever present cherry trees which were currently in bloom. They had minutes to spare and so they strolled at a leisurely pace in a comfortable silence. Neither of them knew what to say to one another without causing more pain. Goodbyes were always the worst. When they reached the end of the path, she knew that their precious time together had come to an end and so she turned and placed both hands on either side of his face and pulled him in for a desperate yet passionate kiss which he returned eagerly.

When she broke off the kiss, her face only drew back a few inches. Her eyes were still closed and yet she was frowning, her dark brows knitted together. Her rosy lips were parted as she regained her breath but he could see that the corners of her mouth had fallen into a frown.

"Draco, do whatever you need to do…to stay alive that is." She panted. "I don't care what you have to do, just do it. If you have to kill thousands of people then so be it, just stay alive for me, for our son."

"You may say that now dearest but when you come to learn of it-" He started but she cut him off.

"No, I'm serious. I don't want to know what you might do, but I know that I care more for my husband's life, my baby's Father's life than I do for my morals." She finished and without moving her face, she pulled his hand away from its perch on her waist and pried it open. He felt something cool slip into his open palm and looked down curiously. It was a locket of white gold which was already open in his hand. Inside, was a picture of his wife with her hands resting proudly on her bump. It was a moving picture, and with her free hand, she lifted it to her face and blew a kiss towards him.

"I wanted for you to take a little piece of me with you." She swallowed.

"And I shall keep it with me always." He promised. "Regrettably, my portkey will activate at any moment." He announced. Her stomach churned nervously again and she dutifully stepped back from him so she wasn't accidentally whisked away with him when the portkey activated. It was unbearable, standing there looking at her. Her eyes so full of pain and despair, and he couldn't even touch her as he waited for his portkey. "I love you both." He told her through a choked voice.

"We love you too." Hermione forced a smile to try and put him at ease but it was to no avail. She caressed her swollen bump which was proudly on display in the privacy of their home, soon to be hidden once more as she ventured out into the real world, away from their little haven. Without a moment's notice, the portkey activated and the image of her husband quickly disappeared as he was snatched from her once more.

Her stomach churned more violently than before and she allowed her grief to take over her. She fell to her knees ungracefully and didn't even try to stop her tears from falling. She clasped her hands over her stomach and prayed fervently for her husband's safe return. The elves watched grimly as they stood just outside the front door of the Manor as their Mistress fell to pieces before them. It was something that they were still unused to, even after years of practice it was still heart-breaking to witness. They would always leave her to cry herself out before they would bring her back inside and wrap her up warm, seeing to it that she was comfortable before sending her off to work if it were a weekday.

Pinky began sniffling quietly to herself at feeling her Mistress' pain. Unlike most house elves, Blinky and Pinky were actually treated as members of the family amongst their Master and Mistress who were both very caring of the two elves. They too felt the pain when their Master had to leave for long periods of time as well as having to watch their Mistress recover all over again, before their Master returned and the whole process repeated itself. Blinky had to hold down the fort now, he was under specific instructions from Master Draco to care for Mistress Hermione and her wee one in his absence and Blinky swore that he would do as his Master wished with pride. He looked over at the other sniffling elf beside him and reached out and took her little hand in his own as a form of comfort. Pinky's ears were down which was very unusual for her since she was always the happy-go-lucky elf, it was a very rare occasion indeed when she was sad.

Hermione cried until she had no tears left. Still, she knelt on the stone path, the pebbles digging into her knees so that she was sure they would leave a variety of odd indentations once she stood up. She sat there for a while until she felt the gold of her wedding ring burning against her finger. She jolted in pain before curiously inspecting her ring, around the band there was a small message engraved around the circumference.

_Have arrived in York. Miss you already._

She clutched her ring protectively to her chest. "I miss you too." She whimpered.

Pinky was the first to approach her and Hermione didn't even look up, but just pulled the sad little elf into her arms and continued to cry. Pinky patted Hermione's back in consolation until her tears had been reduced to shaky breaths and sniffles. Blinky had told her that Mistress Hermione was more upset because of the wee one, but Pinky didn't think so. Pinky saw the love between her Master and Mistress whenever she was around them, you'd be a fool not to see it. It was completely unlike how Master Lucius used to behave towards Mistress Narcissa and so love had been a foreign concept to the little elf, but once she had seen it, she had wished for the first time in her life that she could be a human because she wanted to feel it too.

"Come with Pinky now, Missy Hermione." Pinky pleaded. "Master Draco be asking Pinky to make sure Missy eats for her wee one so Pinky be making Missy her favourite if Missy be coming inside now."

Hermione chuckled to herself, the little elf was blackmailing her with her favourite breakfast. It lightened her mood, if only temporarily. Hermione clambered up off the ground unsteadily, with Pinky standing behind her with her arms outstretched in case she fell. Her stomach was still churning nervously as her mind wondered what might happen to her husband while he was up in the North. Usually she wouldn't have been as bad during their goodbyes but this time was different, they were losing the war and there was a traitor in the ranks. Furthermore, she knew that Harry hadn't been sent with Draco which troubled her for both of her boys since they wouldn't be there to have each other's backs as they usually would. It was an odd move for Lupin to separate the two of them and she wondered why, however she was in no position to interfere with matters of the Order since she was barely even a member anymore, her only involvement with them was their ties to the Ministry regarding the war effort. But if she was being honest, she wouldn't want to go back, Lupin was too manipulative and she liked having her freedom of choice.

She outstretched her hand to Pinky, which the little elf took as they walked back into the house hand in hand with Blinky in the lead. Pinky cleared away the other plate of food from in front of Hermione.

"Pinky? You can have that if you like." Hermione smiled as the elf looked down at the gargantuan waffle on the plate, topped with an array of berries and honey. Her beady eyes lit up with glee. Hermione pulled out the chair next to her at the table and patted the seat. The little elf rushed over to the table and jumped up onto the seat before devouring the waffle. She would always tell the elves to help themselves to anything that they might want in the kitchen but they would never touch any of the food apart from their allocated amount. Hermione didn't see the point in it, they were like her children in a sense and so they could have whatever they might desire whilst they stayed here.

Pinky was more accepting of this than Blinky was. In fact, Hermione would even give Pinky pocket money from time to time so that she could fill her little room with an array of little trinkets that caught her eye. She would save her sickles in a little piggy bank that she wrapped in socks and hid under her bed. She hoped her baby would do funny things like that.

She decided that she couldn't stomach breakfast this morning, since her baby seemed to be doing acrobatics in her tummy. Sighing, she patted Pinky's head and went to get herself ready for work.

OOO

Fenrir Greyback was a man…or a wolf on a mission. He had been given this task personally by his new Master and so he would fulfil it to the best of his ability for if he didn't then he would surely lose his life. He was quite proud to have been selected to do this task for his Master since he was the only one with the right abilities to do so anyway. Being a wolf was good.

It had taken him weeks to try and figure out her schedule. Of course, his Master had told him her regular working hours but he needed to know where she was exactly at specific times of the day which took a lot of observing from a distance. But he needed to get closer to her, he needed to catch her alone and today was the day when he was sure he could pull off his plan. She usually worked overtime on Wednesdays and so what more of a perfect opportunity could he ask for?

He had snuck into the Ministry in the early morning in the hope that she might arrive early, after all from what he knew of the witch, she was rather a workaholic. Alas, she did not. In fact he didn't even see her arrive because he was too busy hiding in a supplies closet. As he spent most of his time in his wolf form, he didn't usually use much magic since he was rather inadequate at practicing it and so he figured that trying a disillusionment charm wasn't worth the risk. Especially since he was amongst the Ministry's most wanted. In the dark cramped space of the closet, he waited patiently for his moment to strike.

OOO

Hermione's day at work had gone far too long for her liking. Usually when she threw herself into her work time would seemingly speed up and before she knew it, she could go home. Today was different and she suspected it was because of her constant worry for Draco. When she read through urgent papers the words went straight over her head, she couldn't concentrate and her nervous tummy didn't make matters much easier.

Around 4pm, she had grown rather drowsy after trekking through the Ministry all day to check the progress of each department, listening to each of their complaints and then assessing which matters should be taken into her own hands so that they could be solved quickly. It wasn't easy on her pregnant body but she smiled and carried on the whole time, despite the protests of her swelling feet with each agonising step that she took. As the day went on, it felt as though her body had grown heavier making it more difficult to get herself about without appearing distressed, therefore drawing attention to herself.

She had sat down at her desk as soon as she had completed her little voyage and accidentally fallen asleep. She hadn't had much sleep the night before because she hadn't wanted to waste a moment with Draco being asleep. For all she knew, it could be the last night that he ever slept beside her. She didn't like to think such thoughts but her over-analytical brain couldn't help making the worst of such situations and so she had to try and cope with it.

When she had finally woken up, it was due to a horrible ache in her lower back and neck from sleeping in such an awkward position. She groaned and lifted her head off the desk, rubbing the back of her neck to try and get the knots out of her tense muscles. When nothing improved she sighed and glanced at the clock. 7:28pm. She should've been home _at least_ half an hour ago, poor Blinky and Pinky were probably going out of their minds.

She tidied up her desk before making her way out of her office and down towards the Atrium to get to the floos. She hated being in the Ministry this late at night, it was unusual since the place was always bustling with people and yet she was the only one walking the extensive hallways. She could actually hear her footsteps echoing as she got out of the lift and walked towards the fountain in the centre of the Atrium. There was so much clear space around her that she felt vulnerable and nervous, the hair on the back of her neck was standing up and her stomach was churning. She didn't like what she was feeling. She looked all about her for any sign of movement, relieved to find that there was none. Perhaps she was being jumpy? Still, she could never be too careful nowadays, since the memories of Lucius were still fresh in her mind and although he was dead, she would forever be scared of being alone like this. She picked up her pace slightly and headed directly for the floos, trying to shake the variety of scenarios that were running through her head.

Fenrir smiled from the darkness. He could smell her fear, it was coming off her in waves since it was that strong. But it wasn't her fear that he needed to smell. He needed to smell _her_. He had to become familiar with her scent and getting close to her was the only way he could do that. He feared she had caught him when she had looked all about her, but he had put it down to vulnerability and continued to edge closer to her through the shadows. He just needed to catch a whiff of her natural scent and he could be off. Job done.

She was getting closer to the floos and he was going to miss this vital opportunity if he didn't hurry up. He lengthened his strides and made sure that his footsteps coincided with hers so that only one echo was audible. Just a little further and he should be in range. He looked down at the floor, if he took one more step then she would be able to see him clearly. He was so close!

Thinking quickly, he dug into his pocket and grabbed onto the first thing that he touched which happened to be his wand and threw it across the floor, making a distinct clacking noise as it hit the stone floor. This caught her attention and she whizzed around abruptly, her hair swinging as she turned. He inhaled deeply as her smell invaded his nostrils she smelled mainly of vanilla which he quickly identified as her natural scent but there was something else lingering to a natural, woodsy kind of smell, like the outdoors mixed with the spicy scent of..._aftershave?_ He thought it an odd combination but processed that scent too. He took another deep whiff whilst her smell lingered in the air and his eyes widened in shock. He had to see his Master right away.

OOO

"Ah, Greyback. I trust you haven't been foolish enough to show your face without doing what I asked of you?" Theo asked in a threateningly low voice as he swirled his drink.

"Of course not, My Lord." Fenrir bit out. He hated being inferior, but by being a servant to Theo would grant him immunity when the time came.

"Well get on with it." Theo hissed impatiently.

"My Lord, I have done as you have asked and gotten the girl's scent. There is another scent upon her and I have no doubt that you were right with your suspicions. I will find him immediately and confirm it however, My Lord, I managed to pick something else up."

Theo looked intrigued, setting down his glass and leaning forward in his chair. "You have my attention."

"Pregnancy pheromones, My Lord."

Theo threw back his head and laughed. "This is perfect! You have done well Greyback, I will order the attack which will give you an opportunity to confirm that he is her mate. Now get out, I have a lot of planning to do." Theo ordered, chuckling again once the werewolf had left the premises. He couldn't have hoped for a better result. Oh yes, Hermione Granger and her child would be the key to Malfoy's undoing and Theo had to make sure that he was there to ensnare Malfoy into his grasp. A fine addition to the regime he would be, a fine addition indeed, Theo thought, before he began to hatch his plan.


	41. Chapter 41

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, so I don't really like this chapter very much. I think I rewrote it hundreds of times but I just couldn't seem to capture the feels right. _

* * *

**_Chapter XLI_**

Hermione woke up cradling her ring finger close to her heart. She had messaged him last night through her ring and she was ever thankful for the Protean charm. It put her mind at ease because he was okay. He would drop her a small message every morning and evening to let her know that he was safe and well and that he missed her. Sometimes he would ask how the baby was doing but mostly it was just concern for her. She smiled and stretched out in the spacious bed, wishing that she had hiswarm body to snuggle up to.

She got herself ready for work as usual and forced breakfast down her throat for the sake of the baby. Draco had been gone for over two weeks now and she continued to worry with the exception of when he was talking to her, then she knew he was safe. When they would talk she could often feel his love flooding through her ring which would make her smile like an idiot for hours like a teenage girl.

She got into her office with ease and sat down at her desk, taking out her planner and checking today's schedule. Brilliant, she was requested down in the Wizengamot for the passing of a new law regarding Death Eaters once again. One of Theo's ideas, he didn't like to treat them kindly or with justice, that was for sure. Some of them she did feel pity for, however she would frequently remind herself of what they could possibly do if they were let off lightly. She had tried to suggest using them for ulterior motives such as information but Theo wouldn't have potentially dangerous convicts staying alive. The law that would be discussed today was one that she completely disagreed with. It allowed anybody who bore the Dark Mark to be put to death without a trial. This was completely unfair and she thought that Theo was off his rocker but much to her horror, people actually agreed with him, including Lupin. For all they knew, they could be condemning an innocent who had been forced to take the Mark, or even a defect like Draco had been. She was just thankful that he had been rescued before he had been branded, else he too could possibly fall under scrutiny.

She buried her head into her hands feeling the cool of her wedding ring against her forehead. She pulled her hand down and inspected the golden band sitting on her finger. Draco hadn't contacted her this morning. Usually he would do so before she arrived at work. Perhaps he was a little caught up this morning and forgot about it. She tried to think rationally, pushing all obscene thoughts out of her head when Justin peeped his head through the door causing her to drop her hand quickly to hide her ring.

"Hey Justin, how are you this morning?" Hermione smiled sweetly, banishing all thoughts of Draco from her mind for a moment.

"I'm well thank you my little lion." He replied before wiping his brow and exhaling noisily. "Aren't you hot in those robes? I'm stifling!" He exclaimed, sitting down on the edge of her desk and fanning his face.

Her heart rate increased tenfold and she could feel her adrenaline spiking. In actual fact, she had applied a multitude of cooling charms over herself since it was far too hot to be out and about in weather like this wearing full black robes like she was. However, it was something she had no choice over. She was at 24 weeks now and the beginning of her sixth month of pregnancy and her bump was about the size of a quaffle and getting harder to conceal. She had taken up McGonagall's offer on getting those concealment charms which would work wonders and so nobody could see the slight curvature of her baggy outer robes however they would become less effective as her pregnancy progressed and she had yet to think about what she would do when that time came.

"Oh no, I'm perfectly fine as a matter of fact. I find May still too cold a month sometimes, the weather is unpredictable and you never know when it will rain." She said absently.

"That's my Hermione, always well organized." He winked with his functioning eye. "Anyway, on to business. Theo told me this morning that he heard from Lupin that there's been another attack on one of the Order bases." He said seriously. Hermione's stomach double-flipped anxiously.

"Oh really?" She said shakily, trying to feign disinterest.

"Yes, it seems that the Order have yet to weed out their traitor. Theo told me that Lupin reckons its Malfoy and quite frankly I can't say that I would be surprised. I mean look at his Father for one." Justin wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Hermione's heart tightened painfully, she hated to hear Justin speak so poorly of Draco when he was nothing like people made him out to be. Only she and Harry knew the real Draco, everybody else was far too judgemental just because of who his Father was.

"I didn't take you as someone who listened to gossip Justin. As the Minister's First Advisor, you'd do well to remain above such trivial things." Hermione scolded, trying to contain the wealth of emotions running through her. Anger, fear and anxiety were only the tip of the iceberg.

"They do have a point though. Anyway, back on topic, Theo told me that-" Justin started but was cut off when Theo himself entered the room. "Ah Theo, I was just about to tell our little lion the news."

"I see, well seeing as I'm here, I might as well tell you in person. Straight from the horse's mouth so to speak." He wrinkled his nose. "Yes, we heard from the Order that there was a Death Eater raid on one of the Order's bases. Absolutely horrific, they can't get in at the moment. They've got it under siege. Lupin doesn't think that they left any survivors." He studied Hermione's face carefully as he planned on how to say the next part.

Hermione was in turmoil although she fought tooth and nail to refrain from showing it on her face. She put up her strongest mask of indifference and looked directly at Theo.

"Merlin. That must be a tremendous blow to the Order. It seems they haven't yet plugged the leak. They'd better find that traitor else we might lose this war." She spoke. "Was it one of the major bases, do we know?" She asked.

"It wasn't a major base, no. But still it was considered quite a loss, somewhere in York I think it was and rumour has it that Malfoy was in there too." Justin remarked. The only thing that could come close to describing what Hermione was feeling was just pain, incredible heart-wrenching pain. She felt as though her whole world had just crashed. Clutching her hands in her lap under her desk, she rubbed her ring and thought hard of the message that she wanted to send.

_Are you safe?_

While all of this was happening on the inside, her face didn't even move an inch due to her incredible control over her composure.

"What a shame, he was one of the Order's best after all." She remarked to Justin. Theo studied her carefully, she showed no signs of grief or pregnancy for that matter. Then again, she was swamped in baggy robes which she could easily be hiding a baby beneath. The girl really was smart, he never would have noticed it if Greyback had not so kindly pointed it out for him. He was frustrated, she should be crying now in the very least, she should have left the room or something but still she sat there with a steady voice.

"Shame? I don't think so, I'm surprised you're not celebrating!" Justin exclaimed.

"Justin, that's a horrible thing to say. Even if I did dislike him immensely, he saved my life on more than one occasion and he saved yours too as well as rescuing Theo from Lucius." Hermione snapped.

"You're right, I'm sorry." Justin sobered.

"Well, as fun as it's been my dear friends, duty calls. I expect I'll see you in the Wizengamot later." Theo said before turning on his heel and making a dash for the door so nobody could see his usually blue eyes flashing red with malice. How could she not have reacted to news such as that!? Perhaps she was stronger than he gave her credit for. No matter, he would observe her closely over the next few days.

"Don't you have work to be doing?" Hermione asked distantly to Justin.

"Look Hermione, I didn't mean to sound so cold and I'm sorry." He said.

"No Justin, I think that you did mean to sound that way and you're only sorry because I have a difference in opinion. Draco may have been a renowned arsehole but he saved my life and yours so you should have some respect for him. I don't appreciate it when people speak ill of…"She swallowed hard. "…the dead…it seems that you weren't who I thought you were Justin."

"Hermione, you're overreacting. It didn't mean anything."

"Oh no? Someone's dead and you think it's something to be happy about. No biggie right?" Hermione said sardonically, trying to restrain her tears. She stood up and walked past Justin, opening the door to her office and gesturing for him to leave, when he didn't move she tried again. "I'd like you to leave, please." She said aloofly.

"I only ever hated him for you, not for me. I saw the way he'd look at you, so full of nastiness and disgust." He sneered as he spoke. "But you never deserved that kind of treatment from anybody and yet you still defend him. I'm saying this because I care for you Hermione." Justin spoke and Hermione was about ready to fall apart now, actually surprised at herself for managing to hold it together for this long.

"No Justin, please don't do this now." She turned her head away from him, still holding her office door open wishing that he'd just leave.

"No, I'm doing it now. For five years now Hermione, five years I have loved you and I don't want to wait anymore. I'm not going to have you throw this away because of stupid Malfoy."

"Justin, _this_ is nothing but friendship and I'm sorry but I can't offer you anything more than that." She said gently, gesturing between the two of them.

"No, you must feel it too." He protested, grabbing her by the back of the neck and pulling her in towards him so that he could kiss her despite her protests. He needed to convince her that she could love him too if she gave him a chance. She couldn't even move because he was holding her too close, she didn't like it, everything about this felt wrong, like kissing her brother or something. His lips moved avidly against hers and yet she remained still, wishing it to end quickly. She had reason to believe that she had just been widowed and she didn't want to be subjected to this right now or ever for that matter. She tried to push him back far enough so that the curve of her bump wouldn't brush against him, alerting him to her condition.

When he finally broke off she just frowned and shook her head whilst the tears dripped off her eyelashes.

"Justin, you had no right." She whispered. "I'd like you to leave now. I won't let this get in the way of our friendship as long as you never do anything like that again."

He nodded sombrely, knowing that nothing that he could say or do would manage to convince her to love him. It was a lost cause. Without saying another word, he promptly left her office. She shut the door behind him and cast the strongest silencing charm that she could muster around her office. Her legs felt weak and she stumbled to the side, reaching out towards her desk to steady herself when she finally let the sobs take over her.

She looked down at her ring, wishing for the familiar burn of his message against her finger. She needed to know that he was alright and safe. After all, she had spoken to him in the early hours of the previous evening.

She sat at her desk for what seemed like ages, not doing anything but staring at her ring, willing for a new message to appear. But as the agonising seconds ticked by, becoming minutes and slowly becoming hours and she was losing hope very quickly. This couldn't be happening, Draco was the best fighter out there, so how could he not be safe? He promised her that he would come back, he needed to come back for their baby because she knew full well that she couldn't do it all alone. She raked her fingers through her already knotted hair as different scenarios flickered through her mind. He could be injured. He could be captured. He could be missing. He could be ill. He could be…_dead._ She knew he shouldn't have gone.

This was all wrong. Draco wasn't supposed to die, that wasn't how things were supposed to go! Her breathing became shallower as she descended into hysteria. Draco was supposed to live, he always lived because he was the hero. Deep down, she knew that this was all her fault for everybody she loved died. Her hands which remained idle in her hair clenched into fists and she tugged it hard until her scalp burned. Anything to take her mind away from the feeling of her heart shattering inside of her chest piece by piece.

She looked down at her ring, taking it off her finger and clutching it inside both of her hands tightly. He wasn't dead, he couldn't be dead, she refused to believe it. She clamped her eyes shut and tried to reach him through the ring needing to feel only a trace of emotion to know that he was alive. She don't know how long she sat there as though in prayer, clinging to her ring for dear life, but what she did know was that she didn't feel a thing. Not a single emotion or feeling. It was just empty.

They say that when someone you love dies, you feel something, like an eerie sort of instinct that someone is in trouble. But not Hermione, she felt absolutely nothing at all. Perhaps that was a good sign, perhaps he wasn't actually dead. This was what she had tried to tell herself as she sat at her desk with her hands wrapped protectively around her swelling belly. He promised that he'd come back, he had to come back for their son.

At least she would always have a little part of Draco with her in the form of their son, _his_ son or daughter as he believed. The son that they had made together with their love. They had only been together for a small number of years and for Hermione it wasn't enough, far from it. She wished she had given into him earlier because the feeling of having so much time wasted made her feel even worse about everything.

She looked down at her planner, she was expected in the Wizengamot at any moment. It felt so surreal, her world had stopped and yet everything went on normally around her. What would she do now? There was nobody she could talk to about this because nobody knew besides her two house elves and McGonagall.

Her throat clenched involuntarily and she wailed for the loss of her love. The loss of her other half. If she thought that the loss of her parents was bad, then this was even worse. There were no words to describe the grief that she felt and what made everything worse was that she couldn't even express her grief to the world. She would have to walk about wearing a mask of aloofness whilst she was breaking apart on the inside because it was all her fault. She must be cursed or something similar because everyone close to her was taken. The loss of her parents had been unbearable agony...but _this_...

She never imagined being put in this situation. She would have to raise her child alone. Her boy would never get to meet his Father. Her marriage would be over before it even started. She didn't want to believe it, but she had to because right now she was expected in the Wizengamot and she would have to appear as though nothing were out of the ordinary. She just prayed that concealment charms and her poor acting skills would be enough to fool them all.

OOO

The moment that she flooed back into her home she began crying again, screaming for everything to be some sort of cruel trick or nightmare. She felt so numb. Her two house elves were yet to hear the news and were alarmed when they heard shrieking and wailing ripping through the normally serene atmosphere of the Manor. They had both apparated into the floo room to see their Mistress on the cold stone floor, with tears streaming from her eyes.

"Mistress Hermione be telling Blinky what's wrong this instant!" The elf ordered firmly, trying to hide the fear in his voice. He had never seen his Mistress so distraught in all of his years before. She was shaking her head no and whimpering incoherently as Pinky hugged her. "Please Mistress, Master Draco be putting Blinky in charge of Mistress Hermione's happiness." The elf pleaded. At the sound of Draco's name, a fresh wave of tears surfaced and she sobbed even louder. Although Pinky did not know what the matter with her Mistress was, she too was crying for she had never seen her Mistress in so much pain before and it hurt Pinky. To Pinky, Hermione was like a Mother figure and much like a child, Pinky felt helpless when she saw her sad.

"There was an attack – Draco was there…" Hermione managed to choke out between shaky breaths as the tears continued.

"But Master Draco being okay…yes Missy Hermione?" Pinky asked desperately.

She just looked at the elf with glassy eyes before tears blurred her vision again. The elf in her arms burst into tears whilst Blinky stood in shock. His lips were moving but no sound was coming out of them. He couldn't fathom his Master being…he couldn't even think the word. It was madness.

"Blinky thinks that Mistress be going to rest now." The elf said steadily to Hermione who was no longer sobbing due to her scratchy throat but blinked out tears every few seconds.

"I don't want to sleep, I just want Draco back." She whispered, before standing up and walking quietly away from both of the elves towards her bedroom where she flung open Draco's wardrobe and dragged out all of his clothes into a pile on the floor which she buried herself in. Surrounding herself with his scent so that if she tried really hard and closed her eyes, she could pretend that he was here with her.

She flung the balcony doors open, holding Draco's sleeping trousers in her arms so that she could keep his smell close. She still couldn't believe that it had actually happened, and she knew that she would never forgive Lupin for making him go but more importantly, she would never forgive herself for letting him go there in the first place. They should have left before it all became too much, of course beforehand this would have been out of the question to her but it wasn't only her own life she was endangering. Had she known that he wouldn't have come home to her she would have disregarded her duty, her honour and her allegiance just to keep her family safe. She knew she could have done it and yet she didn't. She had never actually expected it to happen.

There was a knock at her door. She didn't answer but a tear stained Pinky peeped her head through the door. "Be-be-begging your pardon Missy Her-Hermione. But Pinky sup-supposed to be telling yous that Mr Har-Harry Potter is waiting at Granger res-residence." The elf sobbed.

"Thank you Pinky." Hermione whispered, quickly gathering herself together, placing all of the necessary charms over her face and bump. Pinky started to walk over to the mess that Hermione had created on the floor. "No. Leave it, please." Hermione pleaded. Pinky nodded solemnly and exited the room, her ears cast downwards and for once, she wasn't skipping.

She quickly apparated into her old home and opened up the floo for Harry. He tumbled through the floo as soon as she had granted him access and had fell straight into her waiting arms. He shook his head into Hermione's shoulder. She had moved her lower half as far away from him as she possibly could so her bump wouldn't hit him as he muttered incoherently into the shoulder of her robe.

"I should've been there Hermione." He whispered. "I should have died with him." Harry's lower lip trembled as a fresh wave of tears overtook him and she did nothing to stop her own. Whilst Harry's wails were loud and broken, her throat was already raw from a whole day of it and so her cries were silent and heartfelt. Tears dripped off her chin as she could finally share her grief, even if he didn't know the full depth of it. She had lost her love, her child's Father and her best friend.

"It wasn't your fault Harry." She paused and took a shaky breath, rubbing her hands up and down his back as they stood locked in an embrace. "Don't blame yourself, there was nothing you could have done. If you want to blame anyone then blame Lupin. It was his doing that split you up." She muttered darkly.

"You don't understand Hermione. Nobody understands. Everybody hated him but not me. He was my best friend, even more so than Ron. We understood each other, you know?" His voice broke as he spoke. She did understand, she understood more than he would ever know. "As much of a git he was in school, he had my back and I had his and then the one time, the _one time, _that he needed me and I wasn't there."

"Everything happens for a reason, Harry. Just put things into perspective here, if you had died with him you would have left a wife and child behind. Draco had nothing to leave." She lied convincingly. In a way she was telling the truth, because their family was nothing without him in it. She was nothing without him.

"But the thing is, I think he did." Harry confessed.

"Why do you think that?" Hermione asked, trying to hide any expression that might have come across her face. She was biting her tongue incredibly hard so to keep herself from falling apart.

The look of pure guilt and the absence of shock on Hermione's face raised Harry's suspicions slightly. "I could just tell these things Hermione, I can't explain it. The main pointer being that he never went off with other women whilst we were away like he used to before. He never used to mock me when I would talk of Ginny and James anymore and he just had those moments…I feel guilty, what if he has got someone out there and they never know." There was another detail that Harry deliberately missed out. All this had happened after they had come back from Australia where Draco had spent many days with Hermione…_alone._

"I'm sure they'll figure it out Harry." Hermione swallowed, cursing herself for saying the wrong thing. They sat together on the sofa and Hermione rubbed Harry's arm up and down in a soothing fashion as he continued to grieve. She wished she could tell him everything so that she could grieve properly. Anything so that she wouldn't have to face this on her own. "Let's just hope that he died without pain."

"But the thing is, even if he did, that doesn't mean squat to me 'Mione because I've lost my brother." Harry choked. "Who would've thought right? The kid that I hated most at school would turn out to be the closest thing to a brother I ever had." He laughed humourlessly before slumping to the sofa behind him. Hermione sat beside Harry and hugged him close to her whilst he expelled his tears. She too agreed with Harry, the pathetic filth of their Wizarding community had stolen her husband from her and there was nothing that she could do about it. She didn't even have his body, she wished that she could gather him into her arms and hold him close, like he would do with her when she was sad. She wished that she could fix him and bring him back but she couldn't because it was too late.

What she wouldn't give just to see his cheeky smirk, or run her fingers through his baby soft hair as his silver eyes sparkled with contentment. She wanted to feel his love through her wedding ring again. She wanted to feel his hands caressing her swollen stomach or hear his smooth voice as he spoke in soft whispers to their baby. She wanted back everything that had been cruelly snatched from her. How could she possibly go on? If it weren't for the baby that she carried inside of her, she would have followed him in death without a doubt because the thought of being without him made her feel physically sick.

"I want to fix it 'Mione, I want him back, arrogance and all." Harry told her.

_I do too, more than you will ever know. _"I know Harry. I know." She soothed. "But it isn't something that we can fix with a wave of our wands. I'm sorry Harry, I really, really am." She murmured as she consoled her distraught friend. After about half an hour, he had cried himself dry and so she had seen him off through the floo so that he could go back to Ginny and back to James whilst she headed back to the Manor to wallow in her own grief. She stepped through her own floo and headed for the bedroom so she could get out of her suffocating robes and allow her bump to breathe.

When she saw the pile of his clothes on the floor, her stomach tightened painfully. Too painfully in fact and she doubled over in pain. She waited until the pain had subsided before stripping out of her robes and pulling her nightgown over her head. She made for the pile of Draco's clothes on the floor but stopped in her tracks when she felt a gushing between her legs. She looked down to see the crimson of blood spreading down the bottom of her gown.

Then she screamed.


	42. Chapter 42

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_Hey guys, I've decided that I'm going to have to limit my updates to one a week for now. It's getting harder to write ahead because I need to go back and keep editing the chapters I've already written so that they're better. So sorry about that._

_Also, I've finally reached 100 reviews with the last update and so I'd like to give a shout out to **PastHopingFor** whose review made me laugh quite heartily. This chapter is for you!_

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_**Chapter XLII**  
_

Draco had felt her prolonged agony all day through the use of his ring and it was unbearable. She was hurting very badly and he couldn't fathom what in the world could have caused her to feel such pain. Little did he know that she was grieving over his 'death'. He was currently battling the influence of the Dreamless Sleep potion that he had been put under after being restrained. He had been sound asleep for what seemed like quite a while now and on regular intervals someone would come back and force another dosage down his throat whilst he slept on.

But he wasn't asleep now. Oh no. The pain coming from his ring had been intense enough to bring him back to his senses but not fully. It were as though he were in a comatose state, aware but unmoving since he couldn't yet break free from the high amount of Dreamless Sleep potion in his bloodstream. He had endured her pain for hours. He needed to go back and see her. Nothing else mattered now, only her.

He had tried to snap out of it for what felt like hours, maybe even days but the dosage was too strong for him to overpower. It was only when he felt pure physical pain and fear flood through his ring did he get angry. So unbelievably angry and scared because someone or something was hurting his beloved and he was helpless to stop it. It powered his rage and he felt the familiar feeling of the warmth of his power leaking into his blood and spreading all over him. Behind his closed eyelids, his irises had turned red and his skin was glowing with the same power. The magic in his blood was sent into overdrive and began manically destroying every trace of the Dreamless Sleep potion in his veins.

As his magic worked he could feel himself slowly regaining control over his body. He could flex his fingers and wiggle his toes. He jerked his wrist allowing his wand to slip out of its resting place in his sleeve where he had hidden it upon his capture, the stupid incompetents hadn't even thought to remove it from his person. It was all too easy for him, especially in his worked up state of mind. The pain of his wife continued to fuel his anger as he broke himself free of his magical restraints.

He smiled to himself before opening his eyes which glowed with his fury. It was about time to teach these fools who had dared to cross him what a terrible mistake they had made and the dire consequences for such a trespass. He would kill them. He would kill them all and if they were lucky, he would kill them quickly.

Many of the cloaked figures that he found there were killed instantly as he battled his way out of what once was the Order's York base but as he already knew, his rages were unpredictable and they only stemmed from the feeling of anger or vulnerability. They took a lot of magical energy out of him once it had dissipated, sometimes leaving him only a few spells away from death itself. He could feel his rage dying as he got closer to the exit, being unable to apparate out of the building due to the customary anti-apparation wards that swamped the place. It was only when he took a stunner to the chest and fell back onto his behind did he truly get angry again. _Nobody_ pulled one over of Draco Malfoy. He unleashed his fury killing the offending Death Eater quickly as he drew closer and closer to the exit where he could apparate back to his wife.

OOO

He stumbled as he apparated at the end of the stone path that led up to their house. He wasted no time and sprinted as quickly as his legs would carry him towards the house. He couldn't feel her anymore but he was still furious, something had made her upset and he wanted to know why, because by God when he was through with whoever had made her feel like that, there would be nothing left of them at all.

He burst through the doors which crashed against the walls with force, startling the two house elves that were seeing to their Mistress. Pinky disapparated downstairs to see what all the ruckus was about only to see Master Draco, sopping wet from the rain outside with several tears on his clothes where he had been hit with what looked like a slicing spell or two. The little elf shook where she stood as her big eyes filled with tears.

"Pinky, where's Hermione?" He asked desperately.

Pinky couldn't formulate any words to come out of her mouth but instead pointed to the ceiling to signal that she was upstairs. Without a second thought, Draco was climbing the stairs three at a time before bursting into their bedroom.

"MASTER DRACO! Blinky knew Master was alive, he just knew it!" The elf cried, jumping up and down on the spot with glee.

Draco couldn't hear what the elf had said because his eyes were transfixed on the bloodstain in the carpet by the foot of the bed. Just like the bloodstain on the carpet in her old bedroom from where she had been stabbed by his Father. She was bundled up in blankets in their bed, fast asleep whilst a bloody nightgown was folded over Blinky's arm. _Hermione's_ bloody nightgown.

"What happened?" Draco croaked.

"Everybody be thinking that Master Draco being dead. Blinky, Pinky and Mistress Hermione being very, very upset Master Draco and then Mistress Hermione be seeing Harry Potter and then the wee one be bleeding."

Draco's heart skipped a beat. "The baby?" He choked. "Tell me she's okay Blinky, the baby is going to live, right?!"

The elf trembled. "Blinky not be knowing Master Draco, it being too soon. Blinky be knowing that the wee one still being inside Mistress Hermione, but Blinky doesn't know the wee one be hanging on."

"Do you know why? Is her health okay?" He asked as tears threatened behind his eyes.

"Yes Master Draco, Blinky believing that Mistress is being shaken and maybe sore but otherwise Blinky believing she being healthy. Blinky thinks that Mistress having too much of a shock and she not be looking after herself properly." He admitted sheepishly. "But Blinky will be checking on Mistress Hermione but Blinky thinks that Mistress be needing bed rest."

Draco listened to Blinky carefully as he walked around the bed so that he could gaze upon his wife's sleeping form. Even in sleep she looked so troubled. Her brows were knitted together in a delicate V-shape and her face was deathly pale which made the redness of her tear tracks stand out even more. She had red rims around her eyes and her lids looked swollen, no doubt that she had been crying. The tips of her fingers which were covered in blood which made him cringe.

From her bedside table, he took a cloth from out of the bowl or warm water and gently cleaned her hands of blood and some ink stains too, to reveal the usual pale flawless beauty of her feminine fingers. He noticed an empty potion vial on the table next to the bowl.

"Blinky, what did you give her?" He asked.

"Dreamless Sleep potion, Master Draco. Mistress Hermione being hysterical and crying and screaming…" The elf shuddered at remembering the whole episode. "Mistress not be stopping crying when Master Draco left and then when she believing that Master Draco being…dead…" The elf sniffled. "It's just that Blinky be raising Master Draco from a wee one himself. Blinky is glad that Master being safe."

Draco smiled. "Don't get all sentimental on me now, Blinky." He winked and the elf bowed low before disapparating to take care of his Mistress' soiled nightgown. Draco wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed beside his witch and fall asleep beside her until her potion wore off but their baby's life was hanging in the balance according to Blinky and so he thought it best not to disturb her. Instead he pulled an armchair up to the side of the bed and took her limp hand in his own.

He reached out with his magic and caressed her magical aura, hoping that the familiarity of him might coax her into awakening sooner. When his efforts proved futile, he tried to centre his attentions on the baby whose life was hanging in the balance inside her swollen stomach. He tried to find the tiniest connection to the child to try and reassure her, like he would when he lay awake next to Hermione's stomach, but he felt nothing. He forbid himself to begin fearing the worst just yet, Blinky had said it was too early to tell if the worst had happened and Draco refused to believe that it would happen. He knew that if they lost this child, they would both be devastated. It was against all odds that they had managed to create a child in the first place and get through the pregnancy as far as they had but doing it again would be truly impossible.

He leant forward in the armchair, still dressed in his torn and dirtied robes. He was exhausted from all of the day's fighting but still he sat there with his bloodshot and sore eyes, watching his wife breathing in and out, watching their baby girl rise and fall in sync. He might not have wanted this baby to start with but now he wanted her more than anything.

He felt his eyelids drooping and so he slumped backwards in the armchair, set on giving his eyes only a few moments rest so that they wouldn't be as heavy and sore. Before he could stop himself, he had drifted away from consciousness and spiralled into a fitful dream.

_He could hear the screams again. Those same pained, feminine screams that had plagued his dreams for quite a while now. He heard as the woman cried pitifully before her whimpers grew into laboured growls and sighs before breaking out into screams once more. He was still faced with the same blackness of sleep, he couldn't see a thing and had to endure listening to those screams, just as he did each other night when they decided to haunt him. _

_The blackness behind his eyes began to recede which was unlike each dream he had had concerning this particular subject. He watched as colours began swirling around him. They began grouping together to form the basis of a very blurred image. Draco's curiosity piqued, he wanted to learn more of this odd sort of dream he had been having. There was a swirl of many pink blobs which he could only guess were people who were crowding around a solitary pink blob sitting amongst a mass of white. That was where the screaming seemed to be emanating. _

_The lone figure was thrashing about amongst the white as she screamed out. _

_"Stop. Save your energy." _

_There was a heavy and laboured breathing which followed. "I can't." _

_The breathing persisted, shortening again before a deafening scream ripped through the air and the figure thrashed about. _

_"Please, we need to stop! She's too weak to be doing this, she'll die!" Persisted one of the other voices. _

_"NO! Get him out. Just get him out first!" The woman screamed. _

_Just as the image had begun to sharpen, the mass of colours swirled together again to formulate a new image. There were no voices now for the first time in his dream but before him a swirl of white and brown formulated before his eyes. This image quickly became decipherable to him. He would never mistake the mass of chestnut curls that were splayed out around the figure's head. He didn't even need to wait to see the colours settle to form her face. He couldn't move his head about to look around him but he recognised clearly where she was lying. A stone table surrounded by candles, the crest of the Malfoy family emblazoned around him, the family motto rimming the stone. _

_The Malfoy Family Crypt._

He jolted awake, a cold sweat gleaning on his forehead, plastering his blond bangs to his clammy skin. He shook his head in despair as he eyed his sleeping wife, looking ever reverent in sleep as she had done laying in the crypt in his dreams. He daren't even think for a moment that it had been a vision, he wouldn't subject himself to that cruelty. It was just a dream, he was sure of it. Hermione wasn't going to die at all. Who was he kidding? He knew a vision when he saw one and the dream he had just experienced was most definitely a vision.

'Get him out' she had said. There was no doubt about it, she had been delivering their baby except she was still wrong about the sex. He knew it was a girl. Tears misted in his eyes, the whole bizarreness of the dream made sense to him now. She had been giving birth to their child when she had been screaming and by the looks of things, it would be the last thing that she ever did. His blood ran cold. He couldn't fathom life without Hermione, she completed him. He had a connection with her that nobody else would ever understand, she was his everything.

She sighed in her sleep and shifted. The potion was wearing off by the looks of things. She now lay in a position that exposed her belly to him although he now saw it in a completely different light to what he had done before he had fallen asleep. Beforehand, he had wanted for nothing more than their baby's survival but now he wasn't so sure. How was he supposed to feel about this new development? He eyed her stomach with a mix of love and hatred. His eyes began to blacken at feeling her presence in his wife's aura. It was still alive, for now at least. The very thing that would be the demise of Hermione. He wouldn't allow it, as much as he had hoped for a child for the two of them to share, Hermione's life came before any children that they might have. They were replaceable to him, she was not.

His irises had begun to glow red when her eyes flickered open. She sat up in her bed and stared at the hand that was entangled with his, shaking her head as she stared at him. His brow creased in confusion, something was wrong with her.

"What a cruel dream." She whispered hoarsely. "First children and now my husband. It seems as though my subconscious wishes to make me hurt even more." Her dream was showing her everything that she had lost. Her husband and her child which had both been taken from her were now being dangled in front of her to torment her while she slept. She reached out hesitantly and caressed his stubbly jaw with the tips of her fingers. It was nice to see him again. Perhaps he would visit her dreams often so that she wouldn't forget him, like she would be able to anyway.

"Hermione, you're awake. I'm here, I'm alive." He soothed.

Her eyes widened for a moment and her mouth hung open. There was a moment of silence before her sharp breathing filled the air as she tried to restrain her emotions. She failed miserably as big, fat tears leaked down her cheeks as she pulled Draco by his hand so that he was closer to her. One of her arms was curled around his neck, crushing him close to her whilst her other hand was pulling the back of his head into her so that he couldn't move. She wanted to make sure that he was really there and not some mirage that would vanish with her touch. But he was here, and she cried his name out with relief.

He didn't hug her back. His fingers were twitching and curling as his irises burned with malevolence, the vision still fresh in his mind. Her aura was trying to calm him with her feeling of relief and happiness which washed over him, but the intensity wasn't as great as the cold fear that was settling in his stomach. Her touch may have managed to quell the worst of the rage, but he was still left with the vulnerability which was a very volatile state for Draco. He didn't like it one bit.

"H-how did you…? What ha-happened?" She hiccupped.

"All you need to know is that I'm safe. I don't want you to excite yourself, for the sake of…of the child…" He said stiffly, eyeing her bulging belly once more remembering how she had screamed…and it was all because of him. He held her close until she had calmed down, scared to let her go whenever he thought of her lying on the cold stone in the Malfoy Crypt.

She sighed loudly before whimpering. "I'm so glad you're safe." She told him before he drew back and cupped her face with his hands, kissing every inch of her face from her chapped lips to her wet cheeks and her puffy eyes. She didn't let go of him and instead shuffled slightly across the bed to make room for him. He slipped his shoes off and crawled into bed and drew her into his arms where she rested her head on his bloodied chest, tracing the gashes that marred his pale skin.

She spent a while simply revelling in his presence once more, banishing all thoughts from her mind that would bring her down once again. She allowed all of her feelings of relief to pour through her ring to be relayed to him although he didn't return them. He held her close but he remained stiff and stared across the room towards the opposite wall. She wanted to know if something had happened to him up in York for him to be this way because he didn't seem like himself to her.

"What's wrong Draco? You seem…distant…" She remarked through a scratchy voice.

He sniffled, blinking back tears as he dwelled on the sounds of her screams that echoed in his ears. She couldn't leave him, she was his life, all that he lived for was right in front of him. He had no one else. "How is she?" He asked, drawing away from her to look at her stomach once again.

"I can feel him moving." She told him, carefully placing her hand over her stomach. "I was so scared Draco, I thought I had lost you both." She whimpered.

"Don't worry darling, I'm right here. I won't ever leave you again." He promised sincerely. After seeing how much his absence had affected her this time, he wasn't going to leave her for long periods of time again. Screw the Order. Especially after his vision, her health might be hanging in the balance and so he wasn't going to do anything to affect that. "Now be still, I'm going to have Blinky check you over." He told her before kissing her forehead tenderly and exiting the room before calling for Blinky.

Whilst the elf did his work on Hermione, Draco stood outside in the dark hall leaning against the wall as his vision replayed through his mind. Her screams still haunted him from when her strength was failing her, he had heard her protesting to rest and that must've been her downfall. He didn't hear himself there though which was what troubled him the most. Surely he would be there to witness the birth of his own child? It was this that caused Draco to make up his mind, he would leave the Order behind now because his family was far more important. The war would carry on without him, his family couldn't.

Draco was wrenched from his thoughts when the bedroom door reopened and out stepped Blinky.

"How are they both? Is she healthy? What about the child?" Draco bombarded him with questions.

"Master Draco, Blinky knows that Mistress Hermione and her wee one both being perfectly healthy. Mistress should be staying in bed for a while for the wee one's health." Blinky told him.

"Are you _sure_ that they're both okay?" Draco asked.

"Come with Blinky, Master Draco." The elf beckoned, walking back inside the room with Draco in tow. "May Blinky be borrowing Master's wand?" He asked and Draco nodded without hesitation, handing his wand over to the little elf who pressed it to the side of Hermione's stomach causing Draco to tense a little. His instinctive protectiveness over his family had increased quite significantly over the last few moments making him on edge whenever someone was too near to them.

After a few moments the steady sound of a heartbeat echoed throughout the room from Draco's wand. Hermione clapped her hands over her mouth and looked at Draco who curled into his wife's side on the bed. "That's our baby Draco. Our baby boy." She squeaked. He didn't reply, because he was far too busy making sure that the beats were regular and loud enough to be deemed as healthy. He wasn't taking any chances anymore with his family's safety.

When Blinky had finished, Draco stepped outside of the room with him again after telling Hermione firmly that she needed to get some rest.

"Blinky, do you know the sex of the child yet?" Draco asked curiously. Hermione would never have to know after all, he was just too excited to wait another few months to be surprised. She was sure it was a boy and he was sure it was a girl but he'd rather know now.

"Blinky does know, Master Draco. Forgive Blinky, but he be thinking that Master and Mistress wanted the wee one being a surprise." The elf said confusedly.

"Hermione doesn't have to know, I'm just curious." He replied sheepishly.

Blinky smiled knowingly at his Master. "Blinky knows that the noble house of Malfoy be having a new young Master."

"Damn it." Draco cursed. "She was right again! Just when I thought we were having a girl too. She's going to be so smug when he's born…" Draco trailed off again, the sounds of her labour still fresh in his mind.

What was he going to do?

OOO

"My Lord, you were correct in your suspicions. It is his scent that is upon the Mudblood-" Greyback started.

"Greyback, as much as her Muggle blood disgusts me, she has been a very useful piece in my game. She is our Lady after all." Theo smirked.

"Of course. Forgive me My Lord. However, the scents match and the Malfoy boy escaped just as we planned." Greyback reported.

"Did he kill all those stationed there?" Theo asked curiously.

"Yes My Lord."

Theo laughed loudly. "Good! They were all a waste of space anyway, none of them worthy enough to bear the Dark Mark. I could feel his anger, he uses it but he can't control it. He has lots to learn."

"My Lord?" Greyback questioned.

Theo turned around sharply. "What are you still doing here? Get out." Theo commanded sending Greyback scampering back out the way he came. "This is just too good." Theo told himself, settling down to finalise his plans.

Greyback scowled to himself as he stormed out of Theo's presence. That little boy was getting too big for his boots now. He had thought that he would be greatly rewarded for his service to Theo, only to find that he was cruelly dismissed. Perhaps the Order of the Phoenix would be a little more rewarding for information. Greyback deliberated the possibility in his head as he left the Minister's house.

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_Hey guys, so Draco is alive! Woo! Now about this chapter, I don't know if it's clear enough yet but I'm trying to get across that Draco has two sides. Dark and Light. His dark side hates his child because he thinks that it threatens Hermione, but his Light side still loves his child too because he has a special connection with the baby and because it's his child! It will be more developed in the further chapters though ;3_


	43. Chapter 43

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters._

_I have returned! It's been like what...a month since I last update? I know, I'm lowering my head in shame here. I've just been unbelievably busy starting my A-Levels and everything and I've been lacking in the inspiration department but while I have free time this weekend I will try to get my head down and write! However updates might be sparse._

_Also, I've had a few people point out the Star Wars references. I did say at the start of my story that it would be based on Star Wars and to expect some plot similarities but if that's not your kind of thing then just don't read it plain and simple. Just in case there are any more people out there who didn't see the note at the very start of my fic then **IT'S BASED ON STAR WARS - EXPECT SOME**** SIMILARITIES! **Now let's hope that the message has sunk in._

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**_Chapter XLIII_**

"You know I'd go with you except you've banished me to our bed." Hermione pouted as Draco kissed her head, then her lips and finally her stomach which housed his little baby boy. Hermione didn't know that he knew, and that was the way he was going to keep it in fear of his life. He would've liked to have a baby girl, one that looked just like her Mother but with an inner Slytherin. But the more he thought about it, having a boy would be just as perfect.

He was very conflicted about his child's life after his vision. One part of him, the good part that loved his wife and strove to be everything that his own Father wasn't told him that the vision might be nothing and perhaps it might not come to pass. The other part of him, however, the part of him that was slowly becoming more and more known to him, the part of him that relished in every kill that he made, the part of him that housed his longing obsession and possessiveness over her told him to give in to the darkness in order to find a way to save her life.

"I want the best for the baby, we're lucky enough that we didn't lose it and I'm not going to push my luck. You're staying here until Blinky says it's okay." He told her sternly.

"Yes but I'm all alone in this big bed with nothing to do and lots of energy to get rid of." She said seductively.

"Nice try darling, really. I told you I won't touch you until you're better." He reminded her. "I guess you can use all that pent up energy on getting our little one stronger."

"He is strong! The little rascal is just as bad as you, keeping me up all night with his kicking and hiccuping." She scowled. "Blinky says that my magic is going to get stronger and harder to control too. What if I have a burst of accidental magic at work?" She blanched.

"Simple, don't go into work darling."

"I can't not go into work, are you crazy? I'm going to have to give it up after the baby's born anyway so I need to make the most of it while I still can." She sighed wistfully.

"Impossible." Draco muttered to himself.

"I heard that." She said menacingly from her place on the bed. She was laying so that her legs were apart with her knees slightly bent to accommodate her growing belly. She was breathtaking, it was true what they said about pregnant witches glowing after all. A sense of pride overwhelmed him, knowing that it was his child, his boy that was the cause of it. "Go, you need to see Harry. He was torn apart when he thought you were dead. Blamed himself."

"I know, you told me many times. Besides, I need to see him off, rumour has it that he's being sent after Bellatrix. I say good riddance to the bitch, but I want to know why I'm not going with him." Draco told her.

"I don't know, just don't let it eat away at you and get back here as quickly as you can. I don't like you being away for too long at the moment." She confessed. He walked back over to the bedside and took her hand into his own before kissing her open palm.

"Blinky's making you lunch and I want it all eaten. I mean it, I've given him the authority to force feed you if you won't eat." He told her sternly.

"I'll eat, I promise. Just go and see Harry so you can be back quicker."

"If you need me, use your ring." He told her before kissing her one last time and making his way out of the bedroom and towards the floos.

OOO

"Unca Draco! Mamma! Mamma!" Cried little James Potter as he toddled into the lounge of the little Tudor-style house to see Draco emerging from the floo. He rushed straight up to Draco's legs and wrapped his chubby little arms around them whilst trying to stand on Draco's shoes. Draco reached down and picked little James up before lifting him high over his head causing James to giggle wildly.

Draco brought him down and blew a raspberry on his cheek before the toddler planted a sloppy kiss to Draco's mouth, leaving behind some of his dribble. He then proceeded to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand before smiling a toothy grin.

"How's my little man?" Draco asked.

"Tired." Came the boy's sleepy reply.

"Really? But it's only lunchtime!" Draco exclaimed. "Tell me James, is your Daddy here?"

James' eyes brightened. "Daddy!" He wriggled about in Draco's grip causing Draco to set him back down onto the floor where he began toddling off back through the lounge and into the kitchen. Draco followed him and saw Harry and Ginny sitting outside in the garden as James ran up to them squealing 'Unca Draco'.

Harry's head snapped in Draco's direction and a smile broke out on his face. Draco felt a smile creeping onto his own lips as he stepped out into the garden only to be crushed into a hug by Harry. Shortly followed by Ginny whilst James clung to his legs.

"Don't – ever - do –that – to – us – again – you – idiot!" Ginny cried, each word accompanied by a hit to the shoulder. "We're so glad you're safe." She and Harry hugged him again before he pried them both of him in order to pick up James who was feeling rather left out and neglected on the floor.

Harry sniffled and ran his hand down over his face, trying to stop himself from showing too much emotion that would probably scare his friend. It was such a relief to Harry to find that his best friend still lived, since he had lost almost everybody else who mattered in his life. He was no longer wallowing in his own inner turmoil over the loss of someone close to him and he could literally feel the weight lifted from his shoulders.

"What the heck happened to you?" Harry croaked before the three of them sat down with James comfortably standing in Draco's lap with his little arms curled around his neck and fisting his hair. Draco wondered for a fleeting moment if this was what life would be like when he had his son, because if so then he could definitely get used to this. His Father had never hugged him as a child, and Draco couldn't understand why because he felt perfectly content with a child in his arms.

"I was at the York base. Lupin wanted to see if I could plug the leak since he thinks it's coming from up there, after all that was where the Minster was supposed to go before he was snatched by Lucius. And I swear to Merlin, this attack just came out of nowhere, we were completely overwhelmed and I was one of the first that they knocked out. Didn't even have time to get my wand out." He told them. "Woke up a little while later after being doped up on DSP and fought my way out and trust me my friend after that mess there wasn't a heart left beating." He grinned evilly.

"Why did Lupin send you there when he knew that the Death Eaters were aware of its location after the Minister's capture?" Ginny asked, puzzled.

"That's a very good point." Harry agreed with her.

"Honestly, I hadn't even thought of that. But isn't it obvious?" Draco raised an eyebrow at them both who looked at him bemusedly as he readjusted a sleeping James in his arms, gently pulling his thumb out of his mouth. "Oh come on Potter, you know Lupin has always had it in for me. He didn't want to let me in to start with and he made it known to me on multiple occasions."

"Now that's putting it a little harshly." Harry told him.

"It's not. You're blinded by the fact that he was a close friend of your Father and Sirius. He's an arrogant little prick who thinks he's better than the rest of us-"

"That's rich." Harry snorted.

Draco shot him an evil glare whilst continuing. "-and that thing with Lucius just took the absolute piss. I reckon he's got it in for me. Now Potter would you so kindly shut your mouth, you know I'm not that bad anymore."

"Perhaps, but don't you think it's a little far by saying that he's got it in for you? I don't think that he would've known that it would be raided by Death Eaters."

"Harry's right, Draco. It could be considered a compliment that he sent you if you think about it. He knew that there would be considerable danger up there and he sent you knowing that you would be able to handle such a danger in comparison to anybody else." Ginny suggested helpfully.

"I don't think Lupin's the type for compliments. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if he sent me there so that they could off me and save him the job." Draco snorted.

"Don't talk like that Draco, you may not know it, but when we were told you were dead there were a lot of people upset." Harry told him, his face turning red in anger. Ginny placed a reassuring hand over her husbands.

"He's right Draco. Most of my family were distraught you know, even Ron was a little quiet for a while which is saying something because we all thought he hated you." Ginny chuckled.

"He does. You may speak of your death lightly Draco, but you really scared the shit out of all of us. I spent ages at Hermione's house when I found out the news and even she was really shook up." Harry admitted paying close attention to Draco as he spoke her name.

"She was?" Ginny and Draco asked at the same time before Ginny eyed him suspiciously. She knew that something had happened between the two a few years back now but that was the end of it according to Hermione. Harry had kept this little tidbit of information from her and she was starting to doubt that Hermione had told her the truth. Draco sensed this and quickly diverted his gaze away from the inquisitive red-head.

"So, Potter. I hear you finally found Bellatrix." Draco changed the subject. Harry knew that there was something between the two of them, but how serious it really was, he would never know.

"Indeed. Can't disclose the details I'm afraid, Lupin's orders. I promise though, I'll bring her in and she'll rot in Azkaban for the rest of her life for what she did to Sirius." Harry promised.

"Are you fucking serious?" Draco spluttered placing his hands over James' ears in case he woke up. "Kill the bitch, Potter. She's had us running in circles for years and it's about time that she was reprimanded for what she did to Sirius. You can't let her live!"

"I won't kill, Draco. Never in my life have I cast a killing curse and I don't intend to start now. That spell has ruined my life, taken so many people from me and I want nothing to do with it." Harry told him.

Draco clenched his fists tightly together and he felt himself slipping into an uncontrollable rage. He quickly stood up and handed a sleepy James over to Ginny as his irises turned black.

"Excuse me but I need to take my leave. Something's come up." Draco said hastily without offering a further explanation, marching straight back into the house and through the floo back to his Manor.

OOO

Hermione had heard Draco come home, she had felt his rage through her wedding ring and thought it best to leave him alone for the time being. She had watched him marching out into the woods and seen the flashes of coloured light as he worked out his anger on the trees. Luckily, none had fallen this time.

She had watched him from their balcony. Something wasn't right with Draco, that much was obvious right now, but something hadn't been right ever since he had returned to her a few days previous. He had been distant and more careful with her, she didn't like it. Something was destroying him and she was determined to find out what.

OOO

Draco didn't know how long he stood there amongst the carnage that he had created in the forest. He was so completely irritated with Harry Potter and his stupid saint-like behaviour, he was too bloody sanctimonious to do any killing. The stupid bitch may be his Aunt but she deserved death in the very least. He would've done it if Lupin would allow him to go but he couldn't leave Hermione. The trees around him looked like he felt. Damaged. Splintered. Broken. Stained with darkness. He'd rather stare at those trees and think of how the hell he'd wound up like this than think of the reason that he was truly here.

He didn't turn to look at her, but he felt her aura as she approached him as he sat on the grass, his chest heaving heavily with exertion. She waddled up to him and sat down beside him, placing a reassuring hand on top of his knee as she observed the damage that he had done, waiting patiently to tell her what was wrong.

"You shouldn't be out here. Blinky told you that you needed to stay in bed." He said softly, tracing little circles on the hand that she had rested upon his knee.

"You're upset." She told him, squeezing his knee.

"It's just that Potter-" He began but stopped when he saw her shaking her head at him.

"It wasn't Harry, Draco. You've been like this for days now, you've changed the way that you act, as though I'm made of glass and although I appreciate the sentiment, I won't break. You're different, something has upset you, I can feel it." She exhaled deeply. "I won't force you to tell me, but I'm here." She reassured him.

He sighed and turned his gaze away from her and back to the trees, his fingers had stopped tracing circles on the skin of her hand. From the corner of his eye, he could see her protruding belly rising and falling as she breathed.

"For a while now, I've been having strange dreams." He said finally. She nodded slowly and craned her head around so that she could see his face, all the while keeping her hand on his knee.

"Bad?" She asked.

"It was…like the ones I used to have." He corrected himself. Not being able to look at her in the face as he spoke.

"Your visions?" She asked. He nodded in response. "What happened?"

He looked down at the hand that was on his knee and quickly snatched it up, slowly slipping his fingers in between hers, clasping their hands into a knot before kissing the back of her hand. "It was about you." He said slowly. He heard her breathing hitch for a moment before she exhaled slowly and shakily.

"Okay…it was about me." She repeated, her voice still strong. He searched her aura for fear and yet found none, not the slightest trace. She really was a brave little Gryffindor. He knew that he would be scared shitless if he were in her shoes, but then again, she didn't know what the vision was about yet.

His mouth was moving but no words were coming out as he tried to find a way to tell her what he had seen. He couldn't bring himself to think about it let alone say it. He had tried not to let it bother him, but it was slowly eating away at him every time that he looked at her. So beautiful, trusting and oblivious to what was going to happen. He had put her through enough in the time that he had known her, ever since their early days at Hogwarts he had always caused problems for her, but this was something completely different. When he could finally choke up the words, his voice was hoarse as if he had been screaming for hours.

"It was about you…_dying_…" He whispered the offending word as if it poisoned his tongue as he spoke it. She felt his turmoil and pulled his head down to rest on her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him protectively. This time he felt a flicker of fear appear on her aura and he hated himself for being the cause of it. "I can't stand it. Every time I close my eyes it comes back to torment me." He closed his eyes as his head rested on the plain of her shoulder at the top of her soft breast. He turned his nose into her skin and took a deep breath, savouring the flavour of her essence as if he would never smell it again. "You will die as a result of childbirth." He said solemnly. There he'd managed to get it out and wished he hadn't. They said that a problem shared is a problem halved. To hell it isn't, it was doubled.

"Oh." Was all that she said.

Draco pulled away from her, placing both hands on her shoulders and shaking her slightly.

"What is wrong with you Hermione!? You only have a few months left to live. I only have a few months left to be with you. You're never even going to see our child and all you can say is 'Oh'." He shouted at her. All the while, her eyes were closed as she breathed calmly. She couldn't break down because it would worsen his state of mind. She opened her eyes to be looking straight into his glassy silver ones before placing a calm hand on his cheek.

"What of the baby?" She asked.

"How can you ask that?" His voice broke as he spoke to her. "How can you put the life of that child before yourself? It's going to kill you."

"Draco, this is our child. A part of you and a part of me too. It was a child that, against all the odds, has managed to hang in there for this long despite what the Healers said. It's a child that I have spent every day with for the past six months and despite not having met him, I feel like I already know him. You wouldn't understand the kind of bond that I already have with our baby and I don't think that you will until he's born and you form one yourself. For now though, the only thing that I want to know is whether or not that our son is going to live." She said resolutely.

"I don't know." He whimpered, shaking his head as his emotional dam broke and the tears started to flow. She pulled him back into her warm and inviting embrace once again, calmly running her fingers through his hair as he cried. He couldn't stand this, he was supposed to be comforting her, not crying all over her. He couldn't watch her be so calm and accepting of her own fate. She was a Gryffindor, she was supposed to put up some sort of a fight. She was supposed to know everything, she was supposed to know how to get them both out of this mess. Perhaps for once the brightest witch of her age was out of her depth.

He shook the remainder of tears out of his eyes and knelt up in front of where she was sitting on the grass, taking both of her hands in his and sniffling loudly. "It won't happen Hermione. I won't let it happen to you I promise." He bit out through the pain rising in his throat which was constricting as he spoke. "This vision will not come to pass." He said firmly.

"I know it won't." She said to him accompanied by a small smile.

"You what?" He spluttered.

"Dearest, this is the 21st Century, not the 16th. Women don't die in childbirth in the 21st Century, even Muggles have found ways to overcome the most complex of complications. Even if I didn't decide to have the baby in a Muggle Hospital, I would be given the best available Healer at St Mungo's because of who I am. Don't forget that we have Blinky too and he told me that I'm in perfect health, as is the baby. Perhaps your vision was a metaphor or something like that?" She suggested.

"Metaphor? You're not thinking straight Hermione! God damn it!" He raked his fingers down his face. "Every single one of my dreams has been literal and has come to pass. I wouldn't know a bloody metaphor if it bit me in the arse! Besides, I couldn't even see where the hell you were having this baby delivered, nor by who." He mumbled.

"Well I was thinking about going away to have our baby in secret so that I can protect us. You can stay with the Order whilst I take care of the baby." She clarified.

"Don't you get it? I don't want to stay with the fucking Order." He yelled at her, but she didn't even flinch. He placed his hands on either side of her face causing her to look at him in the eyes so that she knew he meant every word that he was about to say. "Don't try to protect me. I'm a big boy, I don't need it. Right now, we need to be thinking about how to protect you and our baby. Screw the Order, screw the Ministry and screw the damn war. The only thing that I want for us to be a proper family because I won't mess it up with our baby like my Father messed up with me."

"We will be a family. You, me and our little boy. Don't forget Blinky and Pinky too." She added before giggling and smoothing her hand over her stomach. "Anyway, I think we need to focus on what this vision is trying to tell us, I mean, there must be more to it than just death in childbed. It doesn't add up." A little crease formed in her brow as she fell into deep concentration.

This was exactly what he loved about her. She would always try to come up with a solution with that brilliant little mind of hers, a mind that he hoped she passed on to their son.

"I know it doesn't add up. I've been mulling it over for days." He sighed. "But still, I can't come up with anything. I'm sure it's something literal. But I can't just sit here and wait to figure it out, Hermione. You don't understand, ever since we went to Australia I would jump at the chance to protect you and each time I could do something about whatever was hurting you."

"And you did, you killed Lucius and you protected me in the battle as well as carrying me out of the Minister's house." She reminded him.

"But this time I can't do anything. There's nothing to fight and it makes me feel helpless. I can't just wait for it to happen, I have to do something!" He cried.

"I know you do. That's who you are." She smiled at him. "What about Harry?"

"What _about_ Potter?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe he could shed some light onto the situation. I mean he did have some experience with dreams like this from as early as Fourth Year." She reminded him.

"But that would mean that I had to tell him…No! I won't tell him!" He protested.

"Draco he's your best friend and one of mine too. He already suspects that you're involved with someone and I know that Ginny still has her suspicions."

"Yeah, it's one thing for him to suspect and another one to shove it in his face. I tell him and he'll go all saint-like and feel obligated to tell Lupin for your protection in the event that something happens to me in battle."

"What's the problem with that?" She asked.

"The thing with Lupin…I'm not entirely sure that he's on my side…"

"_Your_ side? What do you mean?"

"I mean that it was Lupin who sent me to York knowing full well that the Death Eaters were aware of that base. He knew of the risks that they would come back, almost as if he were setting me up."

"Draco, I know Lupin's an arsehole sometimes, but he would never go as far as doing something like that. Especially to you, you're one of his best fighters! I can't believe that you would suggest something like that." She said, horrified.

"Lupin doesn't trust me, Hermione. He never has done. He was reluctant to take me in, it was only because Sirius made him when he was alive and he's hated me for it ever since. He's got his arse in his hands because I killed Lucius rather than tie him up and drop him at his doorstep so that he could claim the credit for it. Well the only thing I've got to say is Fuck. That. He doesn't trust me and I sure as hell don't trust him, not after this and all of the cock-ups with your safety too."

"Lupin is the Leader of the Order, he has been for years! How could you not trust him! I don't like him, and sometimes he's a pain in the backside but at the end of the day, I trust him. He's got us this far after all."

"None of them trust me. Save perhaps Potter and his wife. You know what I see when they look at me?" He asked.

"Draco, please you're being silly-"

"Fear. They're fucking scared of me Hermione, and you want to know why? Because I'm a cold-blooded murderer and that doesn't bother me like it should." He said darkly causing her to recoil in shock. This wasn't the Draco that she knew, something was terribly wrong. She shook her head in disbelief as his eyes darkened. The sound of a choked gasp from her snapped him out of his brewing rage. "Hermione? Oh Merlin, Hermione I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said anything in the first place." He muttered, pulling her back into his arms. "None of it matters now, I promise. I'm not going back to the Order now unless it's urgent because I'm not letting you run away to have our baby. I'm going to be here every step of the way. Me and you, just like it always has been and always will be." He promised.

"I know, Draco I know. I never doubted you." She soothed. "Now come on inside, it's getting dark and cold and I think our little one needs feeding." She spoke softly.

"Of course, come on. I'll fix you something and take you to bed." He told her before standing and carefully helping her up then walking back towards their secluded little Manor, leaving the last of his rage behind in the splintered trees around them.

"Thank you for talking to me, Draco." She spoke as they walked back up to the path towards the Manor, their fingers interlaced and arms swinging back and forth in a lover's fashion.

"Thank you for listening." He replied with a kiss to the corner of her mouth.


End file.
